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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989444">Sweet Drinks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryjenn/pseuds/maryjenn'>maryjenn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bokuto Koutarou &amp; Kuroo Tetsurou are Bros, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mentioned Akaashi Keiji, Mentioned Bokuto Koutarou, Mentioned Hinata Shouyou, Mentioned Kageyama Tobio, Mentioned Tsukishima Kei, Mentioned Yamaguchi Tadashi, Strangers to Lovers, YouTuber Kozume Kenma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:55:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,244</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryjenn/pseuds/maryjenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenma never got the opportunity to be a normal kid. His days are filled with meetings, events, and doing things he never intended on doing when he first started his company. He’s desperate for a taste of normalcy so he goes out one night where he meets a man. Kenma finds sanctuary in a person but because of his life keeping his safe place a secret is crucial. Secrets and lies are used for protection as more and more obstacles work to tear Kenma from his haven.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Kozume Kenma &amp; Kuroo Tetsurou, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>96</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here's a bit of Kuroken, one of my favorite pairings.<br/>I never intended it to be as long as it turned out to be.<br/>But I hope you like it:)<br/>Ɛ&gt; xoxox&lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kenma let out a quiet sigh as he took a seat, graciously accepting the water bottle his assistant gave him as a team of stylists worked to fix his hair and makeup. He loved his job and what he had accomplished. But he hated certain aspects of his life, especially the ones that involved things he would have never considered doing a few years prior to his success.</p><p>Kenma had done many things he didn't like doing in the years he spent developing his company. Going to banquets, attending meetings consisting of people he hated, kissing ass to get investors, but one thing he never imagined doing was posing for a camera that wasn't for a stream. He hated not being in control of his image, and when Mokosei, his assistant, set up the shoot, he nearly lost it. </p><p>But after a tantrum, some bargaining, and a bit of begging. Kenma agreed and took a shower. </p><p>"Sir, can we get some shots of you with some of your products?" The photographer asked while motioning in a couple of his staff. Kenma watched in horror as they brought in literal trays of controllers and game consoles. </p><p>Kenma looked at Mokeosi for permission to decline, but he was only met with a look, telling him to cooperate. He felt uncomfortable posing in a suit and holding a controller in his hand. Being dressed in such formal attire felt unnatural, especially while sitting in a gaming chair. </p><p>He wanted to leave. The lights were hurting his head, the sound of the camera was annoying, and he really wanted to rub his eyes, but he wasn't allowed to because it would ruin his makeup. He didn't understand why he had to be on the cover of the magazine. He knew many more successful people in the business, who were much more well known than him. But after taking a moment to think about it, he realized they were all hermits, who all looked like what someone would imagine a typical gamer to appear. But he still felt that if they looked hard enough, they could have found at least one other conventionally attractive man in their industry.</p><p>But he continued to comply despite his many complaints. Because in the back of his mind, he knew that a little fanservice could go a long way. Plus, he had always intended to branch out into the woman demographic, and the cover was a perfect opportunity for that. So he dealt with the dress up and flashes, hoping his pain would prove beneficial in the end. </p><p>"I am very proud of you, Kozume. You behaved much better than I thought you would," Mokosei complimented as Kenma undressed. "I also had no idea you could look so nice." Kenma sent the man a glare, knowing his compliment was too good to be true. </p><p>Mokosei was Kenma's only employee who even spoke to him informally, and even though they were close, it hadn't always been like that. When Kenma first hired Moksei, his serious nature and inability to bend the rules drove him crazy. But he was the only candidate for the job that was close to his age, so he felt it was better to choose him over the old guys. His unconventional hiring process worked out because Moksei turned out to be the best person for the job. </p><p>"Hey, Momo, do I have anything to do this afternoon?" Kenma asked while looking out the window to the passing buildings. </p><p>"No, you are free until tomorrow morning's meeting, and you will be at the company until your scheduled stream," Mokosei replied, doing his best to keep the annoyance he was feeling out of his tone.</p><p>Kenma was an apathetic man but a genius Mokosei respected. So he tried not to sound like he wanted to strangle him every time the guy made him remind him of his schedule. </p><p>"Alright, then take me to a bar, somewhere you typically go. You can drink too. We can call a car after." Mokosei looked in the rearview mirror to check if he was joking, but when he looked, he saw the same blank expression on Kenma's face that was always there. </p><p>He and Kenma had never gone out socially. All of the interactions between the two men were purely business based even the strangest ones had something to do with Kenma's job. So he was surprised at the invitation, but he didn't decline because he knew going out with Kenma meant he would be paying, and as his assistant, Mokosei knew just how loaded Kenma was. </p><p>Kenma didn't show it, but he was excited. He had been working on building enough confidence to ask Mokosei to take him out for a while. Kenma was too nervous about going out alone. Not because he was shy or because he worried he would get kidnapped. But because he knew if he went out alone, people might be inclined to approach him. So he had to wait for Mokosei and him to get close enough to ask because the only other friend he could ask to go out to get a drink with wasn't even in the country.</p><p>Kenma was happy with the bar Mokosei took him to. It was small and quiet, dimly lit with an intimate atmosphere about it. Mokosei wanted to avoid any awkward conversation, so he thought it was best to sit at the bar, where they wouldn't have to look at each other from across a table. While sitting there, Mokosei wondered if he had ever seen Kenma drunk, and when he realized he hadn't, he began to imagine it. </p><p>Kenma frequented banquets and business dinners, but he was an expert at dodging drinks. Mokosei always wondered why and concluded that Kenma didn't like to drink. But while sitting next to his boss, he began to worry that it was because he was a terrible drunk.</p><p>"Momo, what should I get?" Kenma asked, snapping his assistant out from his spiraling thoughts. Mokosei let out a nervous chuckle and took a second to regain his composure before waving over the bartender. He felt it would be better to ask someone who was more qualified. </p><p>"What can I get you two?" A man with a wild head of hair and a confident smirk asked as he dried a glass with a towel before throwing it over his shoulder. Mokosei was surprised to see Kenma sit up straight and even attempt a smile when asking for suggestions. Kenma wasn't the type to put up appearances, so he wondered what caused the sudden shift in behavior. But he was too afraid to ask in fear of Kenma's response. </p><p>Kenma was unaware of Mokosei's close observation of him. He was far too interested in watching the man behind the counter making drinks to notice. He sat there fascinated, finding the way he flipped bottles so casually incredibly entertaining. The bartender noticed how Kenma was staring and found his wide eyes and small smirk adorable. So he began to toss the bottles higher and exaggerate his movements even more. </p><p>When he poured Kenma's drink out in front of him, he couldn't help but chuckle at the way his eyes watched the liquid pour down from the shaker. </p><p>"Thank you," Kenma exhaled while pulling the glass closer towards him. </p><p>"Kuroo," The bartender added, causing Kenma to look up quickly. "My name, it's Kuroo." He continued with a smile. </p><p>"Kenma, and thanks again. I don't go out much, so I never know what to order." He explained before taking a small sip from the glass. His eyes widened in surprise. Kenma had only ever drunk what people served him at business events, and when he tried buying beer to drink at home, he found it bitter and disgusting. But whatever Kuroo had served didn't burn his throat or cause his eyes to water.</p><p>Kenma covered his smile with his hand, softly chuckling as he thanked Kuroo. Mokosei watched the interaction, astounded by Kenma's personality shift. He had never seen him laugh so casually, nor had he ever heard him use polite speech when talking to a person Mokosei hadn't explicitly told him that they were of high status. He wondered what it was, but then the rumors he had heard around the company came to mind. </p><p>Kenma was a young man of high status, so there was no shortage of women trying to get his attention. But people had observed his interaction with women that were hitting on him and begun to spread rumors. He remained indifferent when being flirted with, and often he would try to act oblivious. But there was one specific interaction that came to Mokosei's mind. </p><p>Kenma had just finished a business meeting, and after landing a new investor, he walked out of the conference room into the hall so he could celebrate. Mokosei stood to watch to make sure Kenma didn't embarrass himself, but he didn't see a young woman already sat in the hallway. So while Kenma was violently throwing his arms in the air and letting out a series of silent screams, he was approached. </p><p>Mokosei recognized the woman immediately as one of the investor's daughters. She had sat in on them; her father said it was so she could learn the family business first hand. But she left in the middle of the conversation and hadn't been seen since. They paid her no attention, but they weren't aware that she had stayed so close. </p><p>She approached Kenma confidently and stood tall with her hands clasped in front of her as she asked him to dinner. Kenma looked at her confused, almost as if no one had ever asked him such a question before. Mokosei expected him to get flustered or even blush. Usually, gamers were inexperienced with women and would get nervous. But Kenma didn't seem phased by her gender at all. He directly declined and walked over to Mokosei calmy before quietly cursing him for not warning him about the girl. He wasn't mad that she had asked him out. He was upset that she had seen him doing a ridiculous victory dance. </p><p>That moment stuck in the back of Mokosei's mind because it was the first time he had ever seen Kenma take another person's feelings into consideration. Even though he turned her down, he did it plainly and worded his rejection, so there was no room for interpretation. </p><p>Kenma's bad personality and busy schedule could explain his lack of relationships. But as he watched his boss, Mokosei wondered if the rumors of him not being attracted to women weren't so far off after all. Nevertheless, part of Mokosei's job was to protect Kenma, and that also included protecting him from himself. So he allowed him to have his fun flirting, but he refused to permit him to hurt his public image for something as futile as a fleeting relationship. </p><p>"You alright there, Momo?" Kenma asked with a laugh, hitting Mokosei forcefully on his back. "Kuroo, this is my-...my, friend, Mokosei." Kenma introduced, already feeling the effects of his few drinks. </p><p>"So that's your name. I see you come in here a couple of times a week. Is that boss of yours still giving you a hard time?" Kuroo chuckled, unaware of what he had just said. Kenma snapped his head toward Mokosei and sent him a glare before turning back to Kuroo with an innocent smile. </p><p>"N-No, he's great," Mokosei stuttered out, trying to silently warn Kuroo not to bring up work with his eyes, but the bartender was far too interested in talking to Kenma than to pick up on the signals. </p><p>Kenma leaned forward on his elbows on the bar, holding his head in his hands as he watched Kuroo mixing another customer's drink. Kenma didn't get out much. He was either working or streaming and between all of that, he had school. So he didn't have much time to socialize with people his age. He found it fascinating to watch a person who had no idea who he was or what he did. He loved being talked to like he was just a regular guy. </p><p>He wondered what it would be like to have a friend, one who was around and could take him to bars and movies and arcades. It sounded nice, and he didn't realize it until he was talking to that bartender. </p><p>So after school, or after meetings, Kenma would go to that bar, alone. He didn't tell Mokosei, and he made sure that his assistant was unaware of his nightly activities. Kenma even left his phone at home because Mokosei had his location on for emergencies. </p><p>When Kenma was in that little bar, he wasn't a young CEO or the most eligible bachelor in the gaming industry. He was Kenma, just some kid, who didn't know how to dress, and could only drink cocktails and vodka red bulls.</p><p>He didn't just go to see Kuroo. He went to be invisible; seeing the charismatic rooster head was just a plus sometimes.  </p><p>"Yo Ken, what are you doing after this?" Kuroo asked as he wiped down the counter. He flipped the towel he was using over his shoulder and leaned forward on the bar. He laid his head down in front of Kenma's and waited until he opened his eyes. </p><p>Kenma had finished a 72-hour stream the day before, slept for six hours, and then went to school. He was exhausted, but he didn't want to go home. </p><p>Kenma opened his eyes a bit and grimaced at Kuroo before turning his head the other way. He liked the guy, but it didn't matter how much he liked him. Kenma was still Kenma, and sleepy Kenma was still an asshole. </p><p>"My friends and I were going to have a movie night. We're going to have some drinks and pizza. Plus, if he drinks enough, my friend, Bo, will do anything for a dollar." Kuroo offered, genuinely hoping he would say yes. </p><p>Kuroo liked Kenma; he was different from the other people who frequented the bar. Kenma came in, sat down, drank whatever he gave to him, and spoken when Kuroo would start talking to him. Kuroo didn't always like that Kenma never initiated conversations. But he felt that it was because up until that point, they had only spoken inside the bar. He wanted Kenma to be his friend, he just needed to figure out how, and after hearing Boktuo was planning a movie night, he thought it was the perfect opportunity. That was if he could get Kenma out of the bar. </p><p>Of course, Kuroo still didn't know about Kenma's life outside of the bar. Whenever the topic came up, he'd dodge the question the best he could and only talk about school and his interest in video games. He never explicitly lied, but he never told the whole truth. He didn't feel it was necessary. So Kuroo didn't know why Kenma was so tired, so he was less cautious than any person who actually knew Kenma would have been when dealing with the goblin that was sleep-deprived Kenma. </p><p>"How many dollars for murder to be considered?" Kenma grumbled in his near unconscious state. Kuroo let out a laugh before placing his hands on Kenma's shoulders and giving him a small shake. </p><p>"I don't know, would you like to find out?" Kenma forced his head up and looked at Kuroo with narrowed eyes. </p><p>"Fuck it, let's go. Just don't kill me; that would not be cool." Kuroo let out a laugh and jumped the counter after taking off his apron and shouting for the other bartender to clock him out. Kenma threw some money onto the bar and followed Kuroo, a bit concerned about his lack of things he carried with him at work. </p><p>But he shrugged it off and tucked his hands into his pockets, genuinely hoping he wasn't going to get murdered. He had a few packages coming in he didn't want anyone to see. </p><p>Kuroo, on the other hand, was too excited to notice Kenma looking around and reading the street signs. He was in his head, playing through the night. It was nice to have people over. It was always just him and Bokuto and occasionally Akaashi when he wasn't working. It had been so long since they had made a new friend that he was excited, and plus, he thought Kenma would make a great fit. He was like Akaashi when it came to him being on the quieter side. But he also had a bit of underlying aggression about him that Kuroo found interesting. He wanted to learn more about the man outside of the bar setting. </p><p>Kenma trailed behind Kurro as they walked through a long corridor of doors. He wondered which one was his and what they looked like inside. But as they neared the end of the hall, the bubble of curiosity in his stomach turned sour and felt like a rotting pit of anxiety. Kenma was awake, and he was beginning to regret only ordering a soda at the bar. </p><p>"Okay, so Bokuto is going to want to hug you. You can either let him or deal with being lifted off the ground in the most emasculating way possible." Kuroo warned before opening the door to his apartment. As soon as they walked in, the sound of shouting stopped, and four heads turned towards the two men in the entryway. </p><p>Kenma looked them over and distinguished the infamous Boktuo from the group. He really did resemble an owl. The other three he couldn't recognize by Kuroo's description alone. Because there were two he felt could be Akaashi, but one was blonde, skinny, and looked like a dick. While the other just kind of sat next to Bokuto and smiled at him. He felt that one was the right one but couldn't be sure. </p><p>"Tsuk, dude, I didn't know you were coming. Nice to see you, man! Tadashi, I'm sure this was your doing, so I thank you." Kuroo laughed as he hugged each person. </p><p>Kenma watched, intrigued at his ability to socialize so easily. Every person lit up in some way as he spoke to them. Kuroo made them feel special and welcomed. Kenma had never seen another person act that way towards him in his life. </p><p>"Guys, this is Kenma. A friend I made at the bar. He's super cool. Kenma, these are my friends!" Kuroo exclaimed with a grin. His introduction startled Kenma in a way that reminded him that he was present and not just observing the scene in a 3rd person simulation game. He stepped away from the wall that he was leaning on and waved slowly for a second.  He was about to open his mouth to introduce himself properly, but just as he was about to, a body flew over the couch and attached itself to him in a tight embrace. </p><p>"I'm Bokuto! It's super nice to meet you. Kuroo talks about you all the time." Bokuto rambled, not knowing how red his words were making Kuroo's face. </p><p>Kenma chuckled and ignored the burning need inside of him to push Bokuto off. He wanted to make a good impression for the first time in his life for a non-selfish reason, so he did his best to act polite. He introduced himself as Kenma, alone, and hoped that none of them already knew who he was. But as he continued to mingle, he came to the conclusion that they didn't, and that was safe for the time being. </p><p>He couldn't lie and say that hiding his identity wasn't a tad bit fun. Kenma had always dreamed of going somewhere he wasn't known and having an entirely new life. He just never knew he would have the chance, and when Kenma found that opportunity, he couldn't pass it up. He liked that Kuroo and his friends accepted him for reasons other than money and status. He enjoyed being nothing more than that. </p><p>"Hey, you guys wanna play Mario Kart?" Akaashi asked while digging around a stack of games. </p><p>Kenma watched as the group grabbed remotes and picked their characters, viewing their excitement from a business standpoint for a moment. He and Yamaguchi decided not to indulge and instead continued a conversation about fanservice evident in popular games and how they played into their own tastes. Yamaguchi was having a polite conversation, and  Kenma was doing research. He found being around other people his age to very educational, and he knew if he had some cool suggestions at his next meeting could get a compliment from Mokosei. Those were always the best because he would act offended, and then he wouldn't have to do work for a few hours because Mokosei would feel bad. </p><p>Kenma excused himself from the couch for a second and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Kenma leaned against the counter and greeted Tsukishima with a nod as he entered the kitchen. He liked Tsukishima. Kenma found his directness and lack of remorse in his insults intriguing. The ones aimed towards Bokuto were the most entertaining because he always seemed to take them to heart. </p><p>"You seem so familiar. Are you sure we haven't met?" Tsukishima asked, with his eyes narrowed. Kenma stared at Tsukishima at a loss for words. He could have played it off and made a joke about how he looked like every other guy who didn't leave his house and bleached his hair once before getting to lazy to redye his roots. But the lack of sleep and the amount of alcohol he had consumed was causing him to draw a blank. </p><p>He just stood and stared at him like a deer in headlights. Tsukishima didn't even bother. He had become accustomed to being surrounded by weird people. So when he met Kenma and saw a man who didn't really do much and made Tadashi smile, he decided not to cause conflict. </p><p>"You should go lie down," Tsukishima mumbled before walking out of the kitchen with a water bottle for Yamaguchi. </p><p>Kenma rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and reached for his phone to check the time. He let out a defeated sigh after remembering he had left it at home to avoid Mokosei's detection. </p><p>"Hey, Kuroo. What time is it?" Kuroo looked away from the game for a moment back at Kenma before reaching into his back pocket and tossing his phone back. He didn't bother to say anything directly to Kenma. He just turned back around continued screaming at Bokuto, who was on the verge of tears because Akaashi kept yelling at him for being so bad at the game. </p><p>Kenma chuckled and stretched out on the couch to grab the phone. When he turned it on, he saw a myriad of texts and missed calls from one contact. He ignored them and instead decided to freak out about the fact that it was nearly five in the morning and he had work. It wasn't an issue Kenma could always sleep in the office; it was just that Mokosei consistently picked him up in the mornings. If he wasn't home, then a search party would be sent out and would cause a lot of unnecessary ruckuses. </p><p>"Hey guys, it's been fun. But I should get going. My-... my boss will freak out if I'm late again." Kenma muttered as he stood and stretched. Kuroo tossed the remote aside, effectively hitting Bokuto in the back of the head and allowing Akaashi to win. </p><p>A series of groans, giggles, and cheers filled the living while Kuroo walked Kenma to the door. </p><p>"You can stay. I can borrow Akaashi's car and take you to work in the morn-...a few hours. Or you can call in, sleep, and we can get breakfast this afternoon when we wake up." Kenma smiled up at Kuroo, tempted to take him up on his offer. He was aware of his responsibilities, but he wanted nothing more but to keep acting like a normal kid for the night.</p><p>Kenma declined the offer and used Kuroo's phone to call a car before going to his apartment and collapsing on his bed. Three hours later, he was on the verge of killing another intern.  He regretted leaving Kuroo's apartment. If he would have stayed, he could have contently been a missing person while being asleep. But instead, he was stuck listening to a bunch of people who tried way too are to please him. </p><p>"You have meetings until four. Some guy wanted to show you the new graphics on a game you approved. You have class tomorrow until six, and then you have a stream. You then have a banquet to attend the day after that as soon as you finish school." Mokosei continued as they walked down the hall towards Kenma's office. He ignored most of it, hating the fact that he had no free afternoons for the next few days.</p><p>He left Mokosei to file the reports he had to look over; before he shuffled down to the coffee cart on the first floor. Kenma never dressed in traditional work attire. He didn't ever look like he owned a company. He only ever dressed in formal attire when he was supposed to be impressing people from outside of the company. Any other time he would be in sweats and a hoodie. </p><p>As he approached the coffee cart, he noticed a line of young people, they all dressed like librarians and talked to each other politely, but behind their eyes, he could see they all hated each other. Kenma stood silently, waiting for them to place their orders while doing his best to avoid listening in. But then he heard his name, and his interest was peaked. </p><p>"I heard our boss is really a dick," one of the men started. </p><p>"Yeah, I mean, they say he's super impatient but crazy good at his job," another added, making Kenma smirk confidently. He then stepped up and placed his order, contently scrolling through his phone while continuing to listen in on their conversation as he waited. </p><p>It mostly made him feel incredibly powerful, knowing people feared him in a sense. He was perceived as unintimidating at first glance almost his entire life. He enjoyed having other people fear him; he didn't care what the reason was.  </p><p>"Yeah, I heard he's gay" Kenma head snapped towards the group. </p><p>"Me too, apparently he shoots down every woman who asks him out." Another person continued. "Does he have a boyfriend?" </p><p>Kenma squeezed his eyes shut and cursed under his breath. He didn't care that people were interested in his love life. He didn't have much of one to be even considered relevant. It was just that he didn't know about the suspicions and he didn't like feeling out of control. </p><p>"Mr. Kozume," The barista called out, holding out Kenma's coffee with a wary smile. </p><p>Kenma shuffled forward in his black joggers and red hoodie with a stain on the front, to the cart. He could feel the eyes of the interns on the back of his head, and he could almost hear the sound of their spirits breaking. Gossiping about the boss on company property was never a good idea, particularly when their appearance wasn't common knowledge. </p><p>Kenma didn't comment or glare; he just got his coffee, gave his favorite barista a hefty tip, and walked back up to the office. He sat behind his desk with his knees hugged to his chest and thought of the night before. He had fun, it might not have seemed like it, but he really did enjoy spending time with Kuroo and his friends. </p><p>He remembered sitting on the couch with Yamaguchi and hearing him say the word boyfriend while talking about Tsukishima. He thought about how casually it slipped past his lips and how there were no weird looks from the other people in the room. Then he remembered seeing Akaashi and Bokuto, comfortably holding each other's hands and kissing one another on the cheek with no anxiety about their image. They were comfortable in their relationships, and everyone around them had treated them like any other couple in a way he had never seen before. </p><p>Kenma had known he had liked men since he was young. He had never been ashamed of it, at least not until he became a public figure of sorts. He had heard the slurs and offensive jokes in game lobbies and video comments, but those never bothered him. He mostly laughed them off. In his earlier years, he was the one dishing out more insults than receiving them. So he developed thick skin. </p><p>It wasn't until a business banquet that he felt that first instance of fear towards the subject. He was standing next to Mokosei, laughing at a potential investor's terrible joke when he saw a man handing his boyfriend a glass of champagne. The same investor saw them, and instead of finding the moment just as normal as any other innocent display, he made a crude comment. Those few words became the foundation of a round of derogatory sentences that made Kenma sit silently in disgust. </p><p>He didn't get that investor, but he didn't care. He didn't even notify Mokosei about the details prompting his considerable mood change. He just sat with a blank look in his eye and left without a word once they finished dinner. After that, he decided not to risk being the subject of one of those conversations and decided it was okay to be alone. </p><p>That was then, that was before he saw Kuroo laugh. That was before he met Kuroo's friends. That was before he realized that what he felt towards his bartender wasn't just a desire to be friends; it was attraction. An attraction which he wanted to act on for the first time in a very long time.</p><p>Kenma dug around his cluttered desk for his phone, pushing around papers and envelopes until he found it under a stack of headshots from the magazine shoot a could weeks ago. He stared at Kuroo's contact for what seemed like an eternity before pressing down and holding the phone to his ear. He chewed on the string of his hoodie anxiously as he listened to the phone's ring before spitting it out in surprise after he heard Kuroo's tired voice greet him. </p><p>Kenma turned to the clock on the wall, immediately feeling guilty after realizing he probably woke him up. He took a moment to compose himself and get the apology out of the way before getting to what he called to in the first place. </p><p>"I had a lot of fun last night, even though I didn't want to go in the first place. I wanted to thank you and ask-... I wanted to ask if maybe you would like to hang out again sometime." Kenma words came out muted, lacking in any interest. But that was because if he didn't speak like he didn't care, his anxiety would seep through the phone and allow Kuroo to hear just how worried Kenma was about asking him out. </p><p>Kuroo let out a soft chuckle that caused a knot to develop in the pit of Kenma's stomach. Kenma worried that was his way of rejecting him, but before he went back on his words and tried to play off his hurt, Kuroo started talking. </p><p>"Yeah, that sounds like fun. When are you free?" Kuroo asked, causing a mountain of weight to shift off Kenma's chest. </p><p>He quickly shoved all the papers off his already messy desk and stared at the large calendar which covered the entire surface. Mokosei wrote everything down on there, even though Kenma never really checked it. It held all of his scheduled meetings, classes, and streams for the month. He looked over the color key and dragged his finger along the next week, gritting his teeth at his lack of opens. But there it was at the very end of the week, a blank space in the afternoon. </p><p>"Maybe Friday? It's the only day I have free this week?" Kenma mumbled, a bit embarrassed by his busy schedule. </p><p>"That sounds perfect. Let me know the details whenever you figure out what you want to do. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Kenma." A blush overtook Kenma's cheeks after hearing the smile in Kuroo's voice, and as soon as the call ended, he buried his face in his hands, letting out a frustrated scream. He didn't like how fast his heart was beating or how hot his skin felt. </p><p>He felt uneasy knowing a few words from Kuroo made him act like an idiot. He was too busy being annoyed at himself that he didn't realize Mokosei was in his office, cursing Kenma under his breaths while picking up the papers that he had carelessly thrown on the floor. </p><p>"Momo, you don't have to do that. I'm sorry," Kenma sighed before slipping out of his chair onto the floor. Mokosei didn't need to be told twice; he released the stack in his hands onto the ground and stepped over the papers. He watched as Kenma crawled around on the floor. He found seeing his superior on his hands and knees to be very entertaining.</p><p>"Are you sick, Kozume? Your face seems a bit red," Mokosei asked with a smirk. Kenma glared up at him from the floor, but only for a second before continuing to clean up his mess. </p><p>Kenma was uncharacteristically on task for the next few days. Mokosei was impressed, and his staff was grateful not to be publically embarrassed every time Kenma walked into the room. Even the people who watched his late-night streams were surprised to see that he wasn't raging quitting as much. He nearly got through a whole hour without throwing his headset at the wall. For close to a week, Kenma was motivated and in a shockingly good mood, and no one knew why. </p><p>Mokosei had a sneaking suspicion, but he didn't question Kenma, knowing it would cause conflict. He thought it would be best to ignore it, or at least until it presented itself to be an issue. </p><p>The week was agonizing for Kenma. On top of everything he had to do, he was trying to plan out an evening with Kuroo, which proved surprisingly difficult. All Kenma did was play video games or do things related to video games. He had never had to plan a social outing, and he found it to be nerve-wracking. </p><p>Once Friday rolled around, Kenma had the perfect evening planned. Or so he thought, he spent the majority of his morning sitting in front of the closet staring at his clothes in pure resentment. </p><p>He pulled on a pair of black slacks, a black turtle neck, and shoes he only wore to business banquets. He then walked into his bathroom and stared at his reflection. There were deep bags hung under his red-rimmed eyes, his cheeks were sunken in, and his lips were chapped. </p><p>"Why do you look like that?" Kenma muttered as he pushed his face around with his fingertips. He was frustrated with his appearance more than he had been before. Looking nice had never been much of his concern, but he wanted to look appealing to Kuroo. He felt that if he wanted any chance with a guy like him, he would have to look somewhat attractive. </p><p>He washed his face, applied a bit of chapstick, and tied half of his hair up in the back of his head before grabbing his keys and a coat. Kenma drove with one hand on the wheel while with the other one nervously tapped on his lap. They were supposed to meet in front of Kuroo's apartment, but he left a little earlier so he could go inside and actually pick him up at his door. He hoped that by acting the part of a chivalrous suitor, Kuroo would pick up that Kenma liked him. </p><p>"Coming," Kuroo shouted from inside the door after he knocked before it swung open. Kuroo greeted Kenma with a wide grin and an excited look in his eyes that caused the pace of Kenma's heart to pick up once again. </p><p>Kuroo's hair was no less wild, but he dressed a lot differently than what Kenma saw at the bar. Kenma thought he looked handsome in his casual clothing and stared shamelessly at him the entire walk to his car. </p><p>"This-... is your car?" Kuroo asked excitedly, before practically skipping to Kenma's car and admiring it from all angles. </p><p>Kenma covered his smile and laughed into his hand before stepping forward and opening the passenger door for Kuroo. He stepped inside without hesitation and excitedly put on his seat belt. Warmth spread across Kenma's cheeks, which he did his best to hide by staring straight forward while driving. </p><p>"You aren't going to kill me, are you?" Kuroo asked, teasingly. Kenma stifled a laugh and shook his head. </p><p>"No, I swear." He smiled. "I only hope the pressure you put on me by planning this by myself was worth it," Kenma added. </p><p>The day went perfectly, much to Kenma's surprise. They rode bikes together around a cute little town with amazing scenery and stopped by a cafe where they ate and talked for a long time. After that, they went to a movie. It was terrible, and Kenma really did feel bad for making them sit through it, but they laughed about it, and then they went to the arcade inside. </p><p>"Play this with me, Kenma," Kuroo demanded while excitedly pointing around the toy gun the arcade at various undisclosed targets. Kenma chuckled and disappeared before returning with a large sum of tokins. </p><p>"These graphics are terrible," Kenma joked while shooting down a raid of zombies. </p><p>"It adds to the charm, and why are you so good at this?" Kuroo asked. He was trying his best, and Kenma could see that, but he was terrible, and Kenma found it adorable. </p><p>They moved to a player v.s player game where Kenma absolutely dominated, but after seeing Kuroo's pout, he threw the last match. He had a gamer's integrity, to never throw a game, but he found the slight deviation in his morals worth it because he got to see Kuroo's victory smile.  He covered his grin with his hand and did his best not to laugh at Kuroo dancing around while cheering to celebrate his win. Kenma could watch him all day, but after catching a glimpse of his watch, he saw it was time for their next destination. </p><p>"Where to, Mr. Kozume?" Kenma's hand tightened around his steering wheel at Kuroo's new way of addressing him. He never liked honorifics, but something about Kuroo addressing him as his superior made something turn in his stomach. </p><p>"That is a surprise, now be a good boy and stop asking questions," Kenma retorted with a newfound confidence in his tone. Kuroo made a zipping motion across his lips and folded his hands in his lap, practically buzzing with excitement. </p><p>Kuroo's eyes widened as an amusement park came into view. He turned his head to Kenma with a hopeful smile, to which Kenma responded with a nod. It had been ages since either of them had been to one, they discussed it one night at the bar, and Kenma reminded conversation during the planning process. That was how he found the town, the movie theater, and the cafe; he planned it all around the park.  </p><p>"Kenma, this is awesome." Kuroo complimented as Kenma wrapped a band around his wrist. Kenma smiled at the childlike excitement displayed on Kuroo's face. </p><p>They played unwinnable games, shouted at vendors together for making the games unwinnable, rode rides, and ate far too much. As the sun was beginning to set, Kenma suggested the Ferris wheel, and while Kuroo was getting settled in the seat, Kenma slipped the control man double his daily earnings to stop them at the top. </p><p>"Kenma, this is the most fun I have had in a very long time. Thank you." Kuroo looked over Kenma with a glimmer in his eyes. He held onto the bar in front of them and stared at Kenma's hands, inching his pinky towards them almost unconsciously. </p><p>But then the wheel stopped, Kuroo's eyes left Kenma, and looked out into the setting sun. It was stunning, a mix of yellow, orange, pink, purple, and bluish hues covered the sky, and the light emitted from the scene made Kenma looked even more beautiful than Kuroo thought possible. </p><p>Between the happy moments, Kuroo was stressing himself out. He was trying to figure out if Kenma had taken him out on a date. He didn't know anything about the man, and their evening together made that all the more evident. He showed up in a car worth more than his apartment. He had one a watch that Kuroo couldn't pay for with a month's worth of his salary. Kuroo thought he was just some regular kid, but the more time they spent together, the more he realized how wrong he was. But he didn't mind it. He just liked being with Kenma, and their time together made that very clear. </p><p>So after staring at Kenma's profile for what seemed like a small eternity, Kuroo turned his shoulders towards him and reached over, placing his hand on Kenma's cheek. </p><p>Kenma turned his head towards Kuroo slowly and met his eyes with a bit of hesitancy. He felt a tension build in the pit on his stomach, and a knot develops in his throat as he began leaning forward. Kenma shut his eyes as they leaned in, and the moment their lips met, the tension and the knot released, and all Kenma could feel was bliss. </p><p>Kenma smiled at the way Kuroo leaned farther forward as he tried to pull away. It wasn't that he wanted to stop kissing Kuroo. It was that he had to make sure he hadn't imaged the whole situation. </p><p>Kenma cupped Kuroo's face in his hands and slowly moved his thumb over his cheeks before laughing. It wasn't that it was funny. He was just happy, and laughing was the only way he could think to express it. </p><p>"Did I do something wrong? Kenma I-" Kuroo got cut off by Kenma leaning forward once again and kissing him. It was different than before. Kenma swept his tongue along Kuroo's bottom lip before slowly slipping it in his mouth. His hands pulled at the wild mess of hair on Kuroo's head, and if it weren't for the bar keeping them in their place, Kenma would have been on Kuroo's lap. </p><p>The wheel started moving again, and it wasn't until they neared the bottom that Kenma pulled away and regained his composer almost immediately. But Kuroo, on the other hand, was in a sort of daze, barely able to walk, much less talk, as Kenma guided him off the ride. They got as far as the ticket stand when Kuroo stopped in his tracks. He reached out and pulled Kenma back by the sleeve of his coat, looking down at him anxiously. </p><p>"This was a date. Right? It wasn't all in my head. You like me, or at least I hope you do because I really like you." Kuroo had hope in his tone. The way he spoke made it clear that he really did want Kenma to like him back. It made Kenma's heart swell. </p><p>It was all that he wanted, but standing in front of a potential romantic prospect made him feel incredibly vulnerable. He liked Kuroo more than he realized, and Kenma was scared that once Kuroo learned that he wasn't just a college student, everything would change. He feared their dynamic would shift from their mutual attraction to Kuroo only staying with him because of his status. He hated that he had even thought of it, so Kenma shook the thought away and decided he would come clean, soon, about everything. </p><p>"Yes, Kuroo. I like you," Kenma admitted before lifted himself on his toes and pressing a kiss to Kuroo's cheek. "A lot, actually." </p><p>They drove back to town talking, laughing, and discussing whether Kenma would be considered a stalker for going into the bar only to see Kuroo. They decide to keep the night going and go to Kuroo's to watch a movie. But before arriving, they stopped at a gas station to grab snacks. </p><p>Kenma scanned the chip aisle and hummed quietly to himself while peaking over the racks to see Kuroo looking over the candy section. After grabbing a variety of glorious junk food, he walked around looking for Kuroo only to find him in the magazine aisle holding the newly released issue that featured Kenma. </p><p>"Oh no. No. No. No," Kenma groaned before taking the magazine from Kuroo's hands. He had nearly forgotten about the nearing release date, and he had no idea it had already passed.</p><p>"You own a company?" Kuroo breathed, staring at the space between his hands where the magazine had been. He took a moment before looking at Kenma with his eyes wide and lips parted in shock. "Kenma, you're a CEO?" His voice gradually rose, but before he could continue and attracted more attention, Kenma stepped forward and placed a hand over his mouth. </p><p>"Kuroo, let's talk about this somewhere else." Kenma put down the things he had gathered and walked out of the store, racking his brain for some way to make things work out. He was worried and angry, angry that his job could take away Kuroo. </p><p>It wasn't fair. Kenma should have been the one to tell Kuroo. He could have sat him down and explained that he had been hiding a big part of his life. But not because of Kuroo but because he was afraid, afraid of the strain it would cause. </p><p>The entire way to the car, Kenma was preparing to lose Kuroo. He knew he wasn't good with his words, and what he wanted to say would undoubtedly get lost in communication. </p><p>Kenma sat in the driver's seat of his car, staring at his hands, unable to meet Kuroo's gaze. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes tightly before releasing his grip and opening his eyes to look out the windshield to passing civilians. </p><p>"I was going to tell you-...tell you everything, about the company, about my job, even about how we met." Kenma chuckled humorlessly before turning his head and meeting Kuroo's eyes. "But I didn't want to because I was scared that once you learned that I wasn't just some regular guy who stayed up too late and played too many video games, you wouldn't like me anymore." </p><p>It was hard to speak to someone so honestly. Being vulnerable was terrifying to Kenma, and in the back of his mind, all he could do was ask himself was if Kuroo was the type of person to go behind his back about all of it. He feared that he would make a statement on something that cause a rise of rumors about Kenma and his sad love life. </p><p>"But I can tell you whatever you want. Just give me a chance to make you like me, all of me, not just the guy you met in the bar." Kenma pleaded, with his hands hovering over Kuroo's. He wanted to touch him, to hold his hand and tell him he could make it work. But Kenma couldn't, he didn't know how, so that was when Kuroo closed the distance and interlocked their fingers. Kenma looked at their hands, then at Kuroo before letting out a shaky breath with a ghost of a smile on his lips. </p><p>There was a warmth to his calloused fingers, and the way their hands seemed to fit perfectly fit together made Kenma feel as if everything was going to be okay, despite the intrusive thoughts swirling in his head. </p><p>"I was just surprised. I didn't expect to see you on a magazine cover on our first date. I'm not mad. I get why you wouldn't want to come out and tell me when we first met. It's just I didn't even know you owned clothes other than sweats." Kuroo laughed, trying to put Kenma at ease. He could see how worried he was, and he was honestly flattered after settling down from the initial shock of finding out his crush had enough money to buy the bar and him inside of it. </p><p>Kuroo liked Kenma, and he didn't want to ruin their relationship before it even started. So he pushed away the bit of uneasiness that came with knowing Kenma made more in an hour than he did in a month and decided to give them a try. </p><p>After a long conversation and a bit of Kuroo calming Kenma down, they decided to go to Kenma's. Kenma had doubts the second Kuroo suggested it, but he didn't want to disappoint, so he agreed. His suspicions proved appropriate because the second they pulled up to his building Kuroo had a look on his face that just got more and more expressive the deeper they went in. </p><p>Kenma stood next to him in the elevator and stared at Kuroo's fiddling fingers. His own hands were shaking, but he decided to make an effort to make him feel comfortable. Kenma reached over and held Kuroo's hand with a firm, reassuring grasp. </p><p>There was a silence that surrounded them inside of Kenma's massive apartment. Kuroo was standing completely still in the living room staring out at the view of the city, while Kenma anxiously searched his kitchen for anything order than energy drinks and old take-out boxes. </p><p>"Kenma, how long have you lived here?" Kuroo asked, speaking for the first time since entering. </p><p>"Two years, I think. I moved here towards the end of my first year in college. Mokosei picked it out, he said I needed the rooms, and it was close to my building, so it worked out," Kenma shouted from the other room. He then returned to ordering a plethora of food, seeing as he was unaware of Kuroo's tastes. </p><p>Kenma walked back into the living room and smiled at Kuroo's still figure. He walked in front of him and placed his hands on his shoulders before gently pushing him down to sit on the couch. </p><p>"Please relax, I'm begging you. It's my apartment. It's only clean because a housekeeper comes in every day when I leave. There is nothing in my kitchen but old food and energy drinks. My streaming room smells like old chips and whatever else I spilled on the carpet. I don't know how to do laundry, and I haven't used the stove once because I am too scared to try. Kuroo, I'm not some fancy CEO. It's still me. You don't have to act any different than when we are at the bar or how you were when I met your friends." Kenma told Kuroo, trying his best to reassure him. </p><p>Kuroo looked up at Kenma and immediately felt all the tension release from his body. He grabbed Kenma's wrist and lifted his hand to his cheek before he leaned into his touch. He wasn't sure how he would adjust to dating a man who was so successful. All Kuroo knew was that he liked how Kenma made him feel when they were together; he wasn't willing to give that up. </p><p>They sat and watched a movie, and when the food arrived, Kenma let Kuroo tip the deliveryman despite having already done that over the phone. When they ate, Kuroo told Kenma everything that came to mind the second it popped up, and Kenma listened, finally realizing why his apartment felt so big before. It was because he had no one to share it with him. </p><p>"So, does this mean I am the boss's trophy wife?" Kuroo tiredly muttered as Kenma ran his fingers through his hair. Kenma leaned forward and looked at Kuroo with a smile. </p><p>"You can have whatever title you want. It's just that...no one can know we're together." Kenma began carefully, causing Kuroo to shoot up, lifting his head off Kenma's lap and looking at him with a confused stare. "At least no one at my work can, not right now anyway. I have to tell Mokosei, and then he will explain to me what to do." Kenma rushed out, trying to avoid any further conflict. </p><p>Kuroo let out a defeated sigh and laid back down. He didn't feel like dealing with that just yet. Instead, he grabbed Kenma's hand and placed it back on his head, feeling it was only fair for him to get rid of the headache he caused. Kenma didn't say anything, and he really didn't want to, so he just smiled and continued to play with Kuroo's hair.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're gonna tell Mokosei today, right?" Kuroo asked as he tied Kenma's tie for him. Kenma looked down at his lovely boyfriend and cupped his cheek gently. </p><p>"Yes, I promise," Kenma reassured while moving his thumb over Kuroo's cheekbone. </p><p>For nearly three months, they had been putting off saying anything about their relationship. Even Kuroo's friends didn't know because he didn't want to say anything until he was sure Kenma was comfortable with it. Even though Kenma swore that his hesitancy to speak up about the two of them wasn't because he was embarrassed, Kuroo couldn't help the little voice in his back of his mind that caused him to worry.</p><p>He still had doubts and anxieties, but in three months, he had been happier than he had in his entire life. Kuroo didn't know how things would go in the future, but Kenma was always there to reassure him. </p><p>So he kissed Kenma goodbye and watched as he disappeared to meet Mokosei downstairs. Once alone, Kuroo looked around Kenma's bedroom with a smile. He had only been inside on a few occasions. The first time was after their first date. Kuroo woke up in Kenma's bed, and the next morning, he told him he was coxed inside while half asleep with the promise of a second date. Another time he was instructed to wait inside while Kenma finished a stream. He ended falling asleep and waking up the next morning to find Kenma passed out on his keyboard. The next night was after a long shift at the bar. He made a quick stop at his apartment to get changed and headed to Kenma's. Kenma greeted Kuroo with a smile. He dressed in a three-piece suit with his hair tied up the way it was on their first date. Kenma stood in the middle of his living room, which he had converted to a romantic restaurant setting just for Kuroo. At that moment, Kuroo wanted to shout from the rooftops that Kenma had done that all for him. That Kenma was his, and everyone should know. </p><p>Kenma, of course, was just glad that Kuroo liked it because he was quite nervous after having a spat with a florist over whether roses were appropriate to give a man or not. But after seeing Kuroo's eyes light up, he realized it didn't matter. Kuroo just liked it when Kenma put a little effort when showing his affection. </p><p>That was why he was telling Mokosei. That was why he was not going to take no for an answer. He wouldn't make a statement or announce it publically. But he refused to hide it, Kuroo deserved better, and he wanted to do his best to be worthy of the man who had given him things he didn't know he was missing. </p><p>"You don't have much today. You have to sign some paperwork, and can you please not scare away your new graphics guy when you meet him." Kenma looked up from his phone and stared at the side of Mokosei's face before letting out a deep sigh. </p><p>"Yes, I will. But after I've finished, can we talk?" Kenma asked as he anxiously pulled at his fingers. </p><p>Mokosei looked at Kenma suspiciously in the rearview mirror, glancing between him and the road a few times. "Am I getting fired?" He asked in a monotone, running through his employment options in his head as he waited for an answer. </p><p>"No," Kenma replied plainly. </p><p>"Okay then," Mokosei nodded before turning into the company parking garage. </p><p>Kenma did as told; he didn't pout or complain once.  He was even polite to the new hire. The only tears shed were that of a mail carrier after a mug throwing incident, which happened after Kenma got a document a few days late, but that was not unusual; it didn't hit them that time. For the most part, he had calmed, and Mokosei was beginning to get suspicious. </p><p>His assistant had noticed subtle changes in his temperament for a long time, but they were beginning to display in more distinct ways the longer time went on. Usually, Mokosei would wait thirty minutes in the car before having to go up and physically remove Kenma from his apartment, but he had been getting up on his own for nearly two months. In that time, he had also been grooming himself regularly. He even showed up in trousers once without being told. Of course, he still wore a t-shirt with a cartoon character on it, but it was a step up. Mokosei was just worried because he didn't know what had changed. </p><p>Mokosei was not only a good assistant, but he had considered Kenma like a younger brother for a while. He just wanted to know what was going on and protect Kenma from whatever could hurt him. For a moment, he thought it was drugs, then he wondered if it was criminal activity, but Kenma was always at home, and when Kenma wasn't at home, he was at the movies or an arcade, which wasn't irregular for him. That was until he remembered Kenma was a hermit and never left his house, so his anxiety only worsened. So when Kenma said he needed to talk, Mokosei prepared for the worse. He began rummaging through his contacts, searching for Kenma's attorneys' number. </p><p>When they finished for the day, Mokosei and Kenma met his office. Kenma gave Mokosei a cup of tea and even asked if he needed anything else. Sure he sat down before Mokosei answered, but it was the thought that counted towards Mokosei. </p><p>He was nervous but not as much as Kenma. He had been wracking his brain all day to try to figure out how to tell Moksei he had a boyfriend and that he wanted to be public with a said boyfriend without making him worry that it was just a fling or that Kuroo was a golddigger. Mokosei liked to make fun of the executives with wives who were only with them for the money, and he didn't want to be the butt of his jokes.</p><p>Kenma sat in his chair with hands lying flat on top of the desk. He avoided eye contact and took a deep breath. He felt saying everything in one go, as fast as possible, would be the best route, so Mokosei had no chance to interrupt or disapprove. So after he released the air in his lungs, he lifted his head and stared into Mokosei's eyes before beginning.   </p><p>"I have a boyfriend, and he's really great. I know you're going to say he's only with me because I have money, but he didn't know, not until after we started dating. He's super cool, I really like him, and I wanted to tell you because we want to go on dates and hold hands and stuff without worrying about wandering eyes. So I thought telling you would help with that so you can handle anything that may come." Kenma rushed out in one breath before taking in a shaky breath. </p><p>Mokosei stared at Kenma blankly with his tea nearly touching his lips. He was frozen, and he hadn't even gotten to take a drink. He didn't end up taking that sip. Instead, he placed the mug down, straightened his collar, placed his hands on his lap before he took a deep breath.</p><p>"No," He replied solemnly.</p><p>Kenma stared at Mokosei in awe, his lips parted, preparing to speak, but he couldn't get a word out; all he could do was stare. </p><p>"No, Kenma. You can't have a boyfriend. Not now, not when your company is still growing. You have a board of advisors, and they would tell you the same thing. No matter how much you like this guy, you can't go public. You know your audience; you are your audience. You know better than anyone how harsh the community can be, and I will not allow you to ruin this." Mokosei spoke firmly and at a consistent and calm rate. There was no emotion in his tone, and even the way he looked at Kenma was cold and unsympathetic. </p><p>"You may not see it now, but this is for your own good. So I advise that you end things before they get too serious. This way, neither of you gets hurt." Mokosei finished before standing and walking towards the door. "We leave in ten minutes and-... I am sorry, Kenma. Truly, I am." Mokosei added, his voice fading into a whisper before he opened the door and left. </p><p> Kenma sat in a state of shock, and once the conversation processed, his head fell into his hands. He knew what Mokosei was saying was just because he was trying to protect him, and Kenma knew that most of what he was saying was true. But that didn't make him any less angry. It also didn't make it any easier to stiffen the urge to commit a crime to ease his frustration. </p><p>"Dammit," Kenma shouted before grabbing a mug and sending it into a wall. He let out profanities that would make a sailor sob and broken nearly every breakable thing in his office before stepping out to see every person passing by staring at him in pure terror. Kenma fixed his tie and adjusted his collar before nodding towards the people looking at him. </p><p>He went downstairs and got in the backseat of his car, avoiding Mokosei's gaze. He didn't want to look at him in fear that he would say or do something that he would regret or, more accurately, not regret.  </p><p>"I won't pry on the topic. Just believe me when I say that a brief relationship is not worth your career. I trust you will handle things on your end. I will make sure that nothing is in the air about the subject. Have a nice night, Mr. Kozume." Mokosei told Kenma as he moved to open the door. Kenma looked back at his assistant in disdain before stepping out and standing on the sidewalk until Mokosei was out of view. </p><p>Kenma then gave his phone to his doorman to take up to his apartment and began to walk to the bar where Kuroo worked. He would have called a car if he wasn't too angry to remember to do so before he started walking. </p><p>He was muttering to himself in a way that made every person passing him worry if he was going to stab them or not. He walked with an intimidating ferocity about him, and when he finally arrived at Kuroo's bar, he went to the back and decided to wait until he took out the trash. It was a very long time, and he was freezing. Kenma was beginning to worry his fingers were gone because he no longer couldn't feel them. But just as the cold became nearly unbearable, Kuroo came out, spouting off a string of obscenities to whoever was inside as he rushed towards the garbage cans. Kuroo was moving so fast that Kenma almost missed him, but just before he went inside, Kenma managed to grab the back of his apron to pull him back.</p><p> "Kenma, hey baby," Kuroo exclaimed in surprise, the anger on his face fading after placing a kiss on Kenma's frozen cheek. "How long have you've been out here? You're freezing." Kuroo chuckled before wrapping his arms around Kenma and moving his hands up and down his biceps in an effort to create a bit of heat. </p><p>Kenma placed his hands on Kuroo's chest and gently pushed him away, keeping them there as he stared down at his shoes. </p><p>"We have to break up," Kenma muttered. Kuroo's brow furrowed at his whisper. He grabbed Kenma's wrists, raising them above his head, and dipped his head down, so he was able to meet Kenma's lowered gaze. </p><p>"What was that?" Kuroo asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice. </p><p>"Kuroo," Kenma breathed and looked at Kuroo in a way that told him everything he needed to know. </p><p>Kuroo released his hold on Kenma's wrists and placed his hands on top of his head as he walked in a small circle. He looked at Kenma a few times, and every time Kenma thought he was going to say something, but then he'd cover his mouth with his hand and continue walking. That went on for a while before he stopped. </p><p>"Mokosei told you to do this, didn't he? You're breaking up with me because of your assistant's opinion. Kenma, are you serious?" Kuroo finally spoke, his voice gradually becoming louder as he continued. Kenma balled his hands into tight fists and gritted his teeth before he slowly began shaking his head. </p><p>He looked up at Kuroo, his jaw muscles flexing before he swallowed the knot in his throat. </p><p>"It's my life, Kuroo. Things aren't as simple as you want them to be. Mokosei made me see that. I liked you too much to see it. But us being together is too risky. There are too many unknowns." Kenma explained, keeping his voice even trying to keep that fact that he hated every word he was saying to himself.</p><p> It wasn't him. It wasn't fair. He had never allowed anyone to tell him what to do before. He had made his company in his image. Kenma hadn't changed the content of his creations since the start, he had never allowed someone to change something he believed in, but he was in unknown territory. Kenma didn't know how to deal with a situation, so he wasn't sure if what he wanted would work out in the end. His doubt encased his brain and clouded his judgment. His thoughts weren't his own, and he was incapable of controlling them. </p><p>"Kenma, look at me and tell me you haven't felt amazing since we've been together. Look at me in the eyes and tell me that this is it. Don't say it's for work, don't say it's what Mokosei wants. Say this is your decision and only yours." Kuroo's words sliced through Kenma skin, ripping and tearing at him until he was bare, standing in front of Kuroo completely vulnerable. Kuroo's words sank deep into his open wounds and flowed through his veins until they reached his head and encased into his brain. </p><p>He wanted to shout and throw a tantrum, bang his fists on the wall and kick his feet like a child saying that it wasn't him and that he wanted Kuroo. But he wouldn't do that. He refused to hold onto him, knowing he would have to keep him locked away. </p><p>"Goodbye, Kuroo," Kenma whispered before turning around. </p><p>"What's going to happen when you find someone else, huh? Are you going to give them up too? Are you going to be alone for the rest of your life because you are too afraid of what other people will think of you?" Kuroo shouted, his voice breaking as Kenma's figure moved further out of sight. </p><p>Kenma furiously wiped a single tear that had slipped out from his cheek and shut his eyes tightly as he swore under his breath. </p><p>Kuroo was right. He couldn't keep up the act forever, but he also didn't know what it would be like if he didn't. </p><p>That night Kenma sent out a notice canceling his stream. The next day at work, he locked himself inside of his office. The afternoon after firing three interns and one animator, he sent out a statement. He postponed his streams until further notice. He stopped leaving his house again, and when his housekeeper came, he fired her too. He would go to work, but he stopped talking almost entirely. It was like he was on autopilot. He did what was needed and nothing more. </p><p>That was until one day he didn't show up to work. </p><p>Mokosei knocked on his door for an hour, but there was no answer. When he tried to type in the code, the door didn't open, and when he yelled for a response, there was no reply. He was either dead or not home, so Mokosei when to the company, and he covered for Kenma. </p><p>Inside his apartment, Kenma was lying in the middle of his living room, surrounded by his mess and aftermath of multiple tantrums. His eyes hurt from lack of sleep and his body ached from not moving. He didn't think it would be so hard. He didn't expect it to hurt so much. He had been alone for so long, he thought, he could go right back to it as if no time had passed. But he had gotten a taste of what it was like to have someone to be there for someone, and he couldn't deal with it. </p><p>His appetite diminished, his mood soured, and everything had lost its appeal. He had lived in a dull world for so long he had become accustomed to the greyscale, but Kuroo turned up the saturation and showed him what it was like to see the world with optimism. He missed it, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and see Kuroo in his dreams. But he couldn't sleep. He was awake and alone with his thoughts, doing everything in his power not to beg Kuroo to return to him. But he knew he couldn't drag Kuroo into the shadows with him, not when it wasn't his decision, not when it was less of choice but a necessity when it came to being together. </p><p>Kenma rolled onto his stomach from his back and crawled over to the bathroom. When he was beginning to crawling back to his spot in the middle of his trash nest, the doorbell rang. He was preparing to ignore it, assuming it was Mokosei until he heard a familiar voice. He was sure he had imagined it until it came again. </p><p>"Kenma, open the door!" Hinata's voice cut through the silence and echoed inside of Kenma's skull. He shuffled to the door and greeted Hinata with the best smile he could muster up, which looked painful to both Hinata and Kageyama. </p><p>"Hey Kozume," Kagyema mumbled before pushing past both Kenma and Hinata and letting himself in. Kenma ignored his friend's boyfriend and instead looked back at Hinata, who had wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. </p><p>Hinata grimaced at his friend's state and forced him into the bathroom. He turned on the shower before shoving Kenma inside. The freezing water shocked Kenma in a way that made it impossible for him to curse at Hinata.</p><p>He was no expecting visitors, and Hinata only visited every few months. He was premature, and he brought Kageyama, which he rarely did because they didn't get along very well. Kenma loved Hinata, but he didn't want him there. He wanted to be alone in his misery. </p><p>"You bathe, you smell awful. I will clean, we will eat, and you will talk. Kageyama promised to be good, so don't worry about him." Hinata told Kenma in one breath before leaving him alone in the bathroom. </p><p>Kenma removed his dripping clothing and abstained from cursing at Hinata as he showered. He hated to admit it, but the water felt nice against the skin, and the washing of his hair felt somewhat therapeutic. He got out of the shower and dried himself off before wrapping himself in a thick robe and sliding on a pair of slippers. </p><p>When he walked out of the bathroom, Kageyama and Hinata were arguing while speaking to a delivery man. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his robe and watched them in pure envy. </p><p>He had seen the two of them go from competing in everything and being at each other throats every hour of every day. To loving each other in addition to all those things. He didn't know how but they worked. They worked despite them both being in the public eye, so why couldn't he make it work. It was obviously possible. He just wanted to know how they managed to deal with all of it.  </p><p>"So what are you guys doing here? I'm happy to see you, Shoyo-...and Kageyama, but you usually let me know when you are coming into the city." Kenma asked while taking a to-go box and moving around his food mindlessly, trying to work up the nerve to pick up a piece and eat it. </p><p>"Well, we were overdue for a visit," Hinata chuckled before receiving a pointed look from Kageyama. "And Mokosei was concerned. He wouldn't tell me the details, but it sounded serious, and it looks serious. So come on, Kenma. What's up?"</p><p>Kenma put his food on his coffee table and stood up before wrapping his arms around Hinata and burying his face in the crook of his neck before letting out a muffled "thank you" into the fabric of his hoodie. He appreciated his concern, and he liked Kageyama a little more than usual for coming with Hinata. </p><p>"I was dating someone," Kenma explained once he sat back down. A grin spread over Hinata's features until the statement processed in its entirety. "But things were progressing, and I wanted to take him out, hold his hand without worrying what other people would think. Have him sitting next to me at banquets so we could make fun of the other executives. But when I told Mokosei, he showed me how hard it would be and how it wouldn't work. It would just hurt both the company and me in the end." </p><p>Hinata stared at his friend, an odd type of anger in his eyes. Kenma was one of the smartest people he knew, and he admired him, but seeing him broken and hurt made his heartache. But just as Hinata was about to give him a pep talk and offer to do some mildly illegal things to cheer him up, Kageyama interjected. </p><p>"Kozume, you liked him a lot. That means you make sacrifices. Hinata and I have been together since our professional debuts. Do you think we don't get the comments and missed opportunities because of it? There are always going to be obstacles. When you are dating someone in the public eye, they multiply and grow in size. But if you like him as much as it seems you do, you should try. Especially because you worried Hinata, and he gets stomaches when he gets anxious, and I have to deal with that." Kageyama told Kenma with a bit of annoyance in voice appearing at the topic of Hinata's sensitive stomach. </p><p>Kenma blinked at Kageyama, surprised at his sudden support. They had never been necessarily close, but there were times where he would shock him. He was grateful, and he showed it with a sad smile that nearly reached his eyes. </p><p>"Yeah, I mean Kenma, it looks like you really like this guy, and you are clearly not doing well. I know you feel bad about keeping you guys a secret but did you ever ask him how he felt? Did he ever explicitly tell you that it would be over between the two of you if you didn't go public?" Hinata asked, prompting a very long conversation; that had Kageyama raiding Kenma's kitchen for liquor before eventually having to make a run to the convenience store. </p><p>Kuroo wasn't doing any better. For the week they had been apart, his mood remained at an all-time low. Bokuto was concerned, so much so, he had resorted to following Kuroo around everywhere to make sure he was alright. </p><p>The day he and Kenma ended things, he walked into the bar, threw his apron off, and went home without so much as a goodbye. He walked into his apartment, grabbed a bottle of vodka, and sat down with Bokuto, instructing him to drink with no other explanation. </p><p>An hour in, the two were basking in silence. Kuroo was lying on the floor staring at the ceiling, with tears brimming his eyes. He had the near-empty bottle hugged to his chest and a smile on his face that made Bokuto uneasy. Bokuto had barely said a word; he rarely saw Kuroo upset and was too afraid to ask what had happened to prompt such behavior. He took a page from Akaashi's book and waited for Kuroo to speak on his own, which he eventually did. </p><p>"I don't know what I could have done differently, Bo." Kuroo's voice was barely a whisper, and when he sat up and looked at Bokuto, the bottle fell from his grasp, and his hands flew to his face just before the tears began to fall. "I just wasn't enough." Kuroo sobbed into his hands. </p><p>Bokuto flew to the ground and wrapped his arms around Kuroo. He was beyond confused, but he was just happy that Kuroo hadn't drunk away his ability to speak. </p><p>Kuroo hooked his arms around Bokuto's waist and cried softly into his shoulder. He knew he liked Kenma; he just wasn't aware it would hurt so much. If he knew that it would be that way, maybe he would have tried to come up with a solution rather than yelling at him and making him feel bad for something that definitely wasn't his idea. As the night progressed, the angrier Kuroo got, not at Kenma. But at Mokosei and his job, and everything else that had caused their break.</p><p>It was the environment that Kenma worked in that made him afraid to be himself, that stole Kenma's chance to live his life the way he wanted. Kuroo wanted to go back, to return to the alley and hold onto Kenma. To force him to listen to him. He was willing to stay, to do anything he wanted if it meant being with Kenma. He didn't need to go to the fancy banquets to get paraded around; he didn't need the public knowing. He just wanted a chance to love Kenma. </p><p>"I didn't know you two were dating," Boktuo stated in a soft tone while pouring Kuroo another drink. </p><p>Kuroo tilted his head up from its place on the table and sighed. "Kenma's rich. Like, doesn't check the price tag or worry about making rent rich. He owns some big company, and he couldn't really say anything. But he did, he did for me. He told someone, and they put all these ideas in his head, and he ended things." Kuroo sniffled, his voice hoarse and eyes clenched shut to keep from crying any more than he already had. </p><p>"But is that a bad thing, Kuroo? He ended things for you. He didn't want to have to hide the fact you two were together. I know you, Kuroo. You can't hide something that big from everyone. It would kill you." Bokuto asked, trying his best to find a silver lining in the situation. </p><p>"I wouldn't care. If it meant I could be with Kenma, it didn't matter. But I didn't tell him that. I just got angry and started spouting off nonsense I didn't mean," Kuroo sighed, rubbing his eyes with the backhand to ease the burning. </p><p>Bokuto placed his hand between Kuroo's shoulders and rubbed circled on his back before squeezing his shoulder in an effort to comfort him. Kuroo wanted to go to Kenma's, but he was too scared the doorman wouldn't let him in to start walking. So for weeks, he wallowed in his misery, snapping at people and avoiding every convenience store with a magazine aisle. He felt sick, walking around with a hollow feeling in his chest. </p><p>In the beginning, it was bearable because he thought the feeling would eventually fade. But the symptoms only worsened as time went on. He began seeking Kenma out in crowds, and he started seeing him everywhere. He had even scared a couple of people by grabbing them suddenly after calling out Kenma's name. He was embarrassed, but every time it happened, he felt something.  Something that made it harder to let go.  </p><p>But he learned to live with it, and soon enough, the hurt became a tolerable pain that ached in his chest so often he barely noticed. He got into a routine and tried to keep his mind off Kenma. He even humored his friends and went on a blind date. It bombed, but he couldn't lie and say it didn't take his mind off things for a while. He sought out distractions. When he wasn't at school, he worked. When he didn't work, he was out with Akaashi and Bokuto, third-wheeling on their dates. </p><p>"I won't be home until late tonight, Bo. I agreed to bartend some banquet for some extra cash." Kuroo shouted as he attempted to tie his bow tie.  Bokuto and Akaashi walked into his room a few seconds later, and while Akaashi took over the tying, Bokuto began a line of questioning. He confirmed his departure time and did his best estimate when he would be back. </p><p>"Ew, Bo. I'll let you know as soon as I leave the venue and when I'm outside the door. That way, you have multiple warnings to dismount." Kuroo chuckled, making Bokuto's face turn a shade he had never seen on a person's before. Akaashi mouthed a "thank you" and patted Kuroo's chest twice to show his appreciation before grabbing Bokuto by the drawstrings of his sweatpants and pulling him out of the room. </p><p>Kuroo out an amused breath and shooked his head before admiring the perfect bow around his neck. He put on the rest of his uniform and checked his pockets before leaving the house. </p><p>When he walked into the venue, he was amazed at the size and the number of waiters mentally preparing while simultaneously getting yelled at by the event planner.  He flinched when the small woman with a scowl approached him, but as soon as he introduced himself as the bartender, her grimace shifted into a smile. </p><p>"Oh, thank god. You get their drinks you give as many as they want. None of these people drive their own cars, so no worries. You can keep all your tips. You simply have to stand back there and make these corporate dicks tolerable."  The tiny woman instructed before poking two fingers into the center of Kuroo's chest and flicking him away. </p><p>Kuroo shrugged off the strange interaction and began familiarizing himself with the small station. While standing behind the bar, he wondered what Kenma was like when he attended banquets. He remembered one-morning watching Kenma look at his closet with a frustrating type of anger. When Kuroo got up and asked why he seemed so stressed, Kenma sat him down and explained just how unbearable corporate events were for him.</p><p>"You don't understand. Everyone is so dull. All those corporate guys do is talk shit about each other. I never drink because they only drink straight liquor, and you know I can't drink that. Plus, I have to dress nice and be nice. It's exhausting." Kenma whined as Kuroo massaged his shoulders. Kenma's head fell back on Kuroo's shoulder, which prompted Kuroo to lean forward and kiss his collarbone leave a trail of bites up the side of his neck. </p><p>Kuroo shook away the memory and did his best to keep it away, but he swore he could hear Kenma, so it made it harder not to think of him. He missed how soft his hair was when he washed it and how it smelled like watermelons because that was shampoo his mom washed his hair with when he was little, and Kenma refused to use anything else. He smiled at the memory of waking up and finding Kenma passed out in his streaming room covered in crumbs sitting in a nest of empty energy drinks. He missed seeing Kenma in his clothes and the way he always played with Kuroo's hair when they would cuddle. </p><p>He wanted to go home because all he could think of was Kenma, and it was making him feel like garbage. </p><p>"Something sweet, but put it in a glass that makes it look like scotch or something," A tired voice ordered at Kuroo's back. Kuroo froze mid-turn and closed his eyes for a second before moving to face the man. </p><p>Kuroo stared at Kenma, unaware that the second their eyes met that the oxygen would leave his lungs, and he would be standing with no idea of what to say. Kenma was just as shocked, he hadn't attended a banquet in nearly a month, and he couldn't believe the first one he attended Kuroo would be working. </p><p>"I-... I'm sorry." Kenma stuttered before turning and walking away at a brisk pace. Kuroo pulled the tie behind his back and tossed his apron aside before pulling an unwilling waiter behind the bar and chasing after Kenma. </p><p>Kuroo dodged gown trains and stepped on a few pairs of shoes worth more than his bank account balance twice over. But he didn't bother to apologize Kuroo just did his best not to let Kenma out of his sight. He hopped up on his toes and swallowed between breaths, looking for Kenma before he saw him open a pair of extravagant doors and slip outside of the dining hall. </p><p>Kuroo slid between bodies and managed to get outside of the hall without any serious issue. He was breathing heavily and struggling to remove his bow tie as he looked for Kenma. It only took a few seconds to spot him sitting on a decorative couch with his face buried in his hands. He was shaking his head, and as Kuroo got closer, he could hear him mumbling to himself. He approached him slowly and stopped a few feet in front of him. Kuroo took a few seconds to stare at him. He didn't know what to do after catching up to him. All he knew was that he needed to find him. But with Kenma sitting in front of him, all he could think to do was apologize. </p><p>"Kenma, I'm sorry I didn't know you would be here." Kuroo sighed, ignoring the thumping of his chest and the ringing in his ears telling him he wasn't ready to speak to Kenma as if he didn't think of him every single day. </p><p>Kenma lifted his head from his hands and looked at Kuroo with a soft, almost pathetic look. There was relief in seeing Kuroo for Kenma because the last image he had of him was of him shouting with a devastated look in his eyes. Kuroo looked just as handsome as the day they had first met. He looked a little more tired, it seemed as if he had lost a bit of weight, but Kenma still thought he was beautiful. He wanted to be happy, but the longer he looked at Kuroo, he thought of what he had done to him. </p><p>He had waited for months to say something, raising Kuroo's hopes that one day they could be together with no issue. But when he finally did what he promised, nothing went as planned. He ended things with no hesitation and no consideration for Kuroo and his feelings. He felt awful for what he had done and had been meaning to talk to Kuroo in person, to sit down and apologize. But he didn't plan on it being so soon. It was too soon. He wasn't ready to only talk because seeing Kuroo made him want to wrap his arms neck and pull him down and kiss him as if no time had passed at all. </p><p>"No, Kuroo. You don't need to apologize. I just-... I should go." Kenma mumbled while avoiding Kuroo's eyes. Kenma believed that if looked at him directly that he would confess and make a fool out of himself. He didn't bother to wait for a response; he just turned around and began walking. He pulled his phone out while he ignored the feeling of Kuroo's eyes on his back and began to look for Mokosei's contact to tell him to bring the car around. </p><p>But just as he was about to make the call, a hand wrapped around his wrist, pulling him into a coat closet. He attempted to catch his breath from the initial shock knocking the wind out of him, but just as he was about to regain the ability to speak, Kuroo placed his hand over Kenma's mouth. </p><p>"You didn't give me any time to process it. But I've had time. So Kenma, please, can we talk? I only need a minute, please." Kuroo pleaded, his fingers digging into Kenma's arm in desperation. Kenma's eyes softened, and he took a moment before reaching up and removing Kuroo's hand from his mouth. </p><p>He nodded and motioned Kuroo to begin before taking a step back and holding his hands behind his back in hopes of hiding that they were shaking anxiously. Kuroo took a deep breath and turned his eyes down to the floor before shakily releasing the air in his lungs. </p><p>"Kenma, I'm sorry. I was angry, and I didn't think of how hard it was for you to tell someone. I've thought about it a lot, and I've been trying to figure out how to say this to you you, but so much time passed, and I never thought I would see you again. But Kenma," Kuroo stepped forward and closed the space between them, cupping Kenma's cheek and raising his head so he couldn't look away. "Kenma, I don't want to lose you. The past two months have been torture. We can go at your pace, do things your way. I just-... I just want you. I need you." Kuroo whispered, his head lowered with his forehead pressed against Kenma's. He moved his thumb across Kenma's lips and let out a shaky breath before looking through his eyelashes and searching for any indication of response in Kenma's eyes. </p><p>"Dammit, Kuroo." Kenma cursed before letting out a sad laugh. He sniffled and wrapped his arms around Kuroo's neck, pulling him down and hugging him tightly. Kuroo buried his face in the crook of Kenma's neck and held his body flush against his. </p><p>Kenma let out an amused breath, unable to believe that Kuroo was in his arms. He held him there for a moment before he pulled back and lifted himself onto his toes to kiss Kuroo softly. </p><p>Kenma lowered himself and looked up at Kuroo for a moment. He admired the contours of his face and the slight tinge of red on his cheeks. He looked gorgeous. His eyes were glossy, and his lips a dark shade of pink. Kenma reached out and pressed his hands against Kuroo's chest, flexing his fingertips into his shirt just to make sure he was actually standing in front of him. Kenma slid his hands up the sides of Kuroo's neck and dug his fingers into his dark nest of hair before pulling him down and connecting their lips once again. </p><p>Kuroo's fingertips dug into Kenma's hips and pushed him back against the wall of the closet. A gasp left his lips at the impact and allowed for Kuroo to slip his tongue into his mouth. Kenma let out a quiet moan and allowed Kuroo to take off his jacket and loosen his tie. Kuroo dipped his head and left a trail of love bites down Kenma's neck as his hands moved down the front of his shirt, undoing each of his buttons and stopping at the buckle of his belt. </p><p>Kuroo froze and looked at Kenma for a moment, completely undone by the look in his eye. The sound of his breathing and the cute way he moaned drove Kuroo insane. But he wasn't willing to lose Kenma again, so he would take things slow and do what Kenma deemed was okay. In fear that what he was doing was wrong, he stopped and just looked down at Kenma, searching for an answer in his eyes. </p><p>"Kuroo, please," Kenma begged. He stepped forward and kissed Kuroo, first his lips, then along his jaw and down his neck until he was on his knees looking up at Kuroo as his hands moved swiftly to unbuckle his belt. Kuroo gripped the coat rack above his head shut his eyes, biting down on his lip to keep from moaning as Kenma fingers slipped into the waistband of his underwear. </p><p>At the height of the banquet, all of the guests were inside the hall, and every employee was far too busy to wander. So there was no one outside of the coatroom to hear Kuroo's moans and the way he made Kenma scream his name. </p><p>Kuroo stood with Kenma's legs wrapped his waist and arms dangling over his shoulders. His breathing matched with Kuroo's, and when he pulled back to tell him to put him down, he saw the smile he had missed for months on end. He cupped Kuroo's cheek as his feet met the ground and kissed Kuroo, closing his eyes tightly as to avoid allowing any tears from slipping out. But when he pulled away and opened them, he saw the glassy look in Kuroo's eyes and nearly broke. </p><p>"Kuroo," Kenma whispered, his voice cracking. </p><p>Kuroo sniffled and chuckled; as to downplay his tears as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry, Kenma. I just-... I missed you too much. I can't lose you again. Please don't give up on us." Kuroo pleaded, holding Kenma's hands in his with a gentle hold. He was afraid that if he held on too tightly, he would break. </p><p>Kenma's chest ached at the thought of Kuroo's pain. He had no idea that he had been hurting the way Kenma had in the time they were apart. He hated being a source of pain, and he hated himself for making Kuroo cry. Kenma didn't feel like he was worth it, and he wanted to tell Kuroo to leave him. To be happy on his own. But standing in the coatroom, he couldn't bring himself to say it. He resented himself for it, but he was going to be selfish. He was going to keep Kuroo, no matter what, because he never wanted to feel Kuroo's absence again.</p><p>"We'll figure it out. I promise. I was weak and allowed fear to cloud my judgment. But I'm not willing to lose you, not again. Come home with me, Kuroo. Let's get out of here and escape just for tonight before we have to face reality." Kuroo answered Kenma's request with a kiss. Kenma grinned up at the man and held Kuroo's hand as he strode to the parking garage to his car. With his free hand, he was texting Mokosei. He was transferring money for a taxi and dinner while asking for his morning meetings to be pushed.</p><p>He didn't wait for a response. Instead, he turned off his phone and tucked it in his pocket, returning his full focus back to Kuroo, where it belonged. Kuroo looked over at Kenma behind the wheel and watched him in disbelief. He didn't know what it would be like, how things would change. He was afraid that things wouldn't work. That Kenma would get scared again. </p><p>But despite his doubts, he couldn't deny how right Kenma's hand felt in his. Kuroo reached over and played with the blonde ends of Kenma's hair, he had cut it a bit, and his roots were even longer. He noticed how thin he had gotten while in the coatroom. He was lighter, and the way his hip bones protruded was concerning. So much had changed, and Kuroo wondered how he had been since they split, but the thought of what he got up to while they were apart was nauseating. </p><p>Kenma held onto Kuroo's hand the entire way up to his apartment, and when they got inside, he took Kuroo's coat and motioned him to the bedroom where he would leave him to run a bath. While Kenma was in the bathroom, Kuroo was looking around the bedroom he hadn't been in since the morning of their break up. Kuroo lifted himself off the bed and walked around Kenma's bedroom, admiring the lack of decor and few trinkets and pictures he had. He stopped at an unframed photo of Kenma with two men, one with dark hair and a scary look on his face, along with a ginger with a smile so bright it was blinding. He picked up the photo and turned it around, frowning at the date and names written on the back. </p><p>Shoyo and Tobio; he formed the names in his mouth and tried to remember if he had ever heard Kenma talk about them and then recounted a conversation from the beginning of their relationship. </p><p>Kenma was sitting in between Kuroo's legs while playing a video game. He was screaming profanities and threatening murder while Kuroo contently sat with his chin on Kenma's shoulder, watching the gruesome graphics on the screen. It was between matches when Kuroo asked about Kenma's friends.</p><p>"I don't have any here. But my friend, Shoyo, is great. He's not in the country right now. He was one of the first people I ever met that I had any interest in pursuing. His boyfriend is a little scary and kind of stupid, but he makes Shoyo happy." Kenma chuckled, looking up at the ceiling as he leaned into Kuroo. He suddenly turned and wrapped his legs around Kuroo's waist and arms around his shoulders as he looked at Kuroo. "Why do you ask?" Kenma asked with a goofy smile with his head tilted to the side.</p><p>"I just want to know everything about you." </p><p>Kuroo snapped back into the room and stared at the photo in his hands. Kenma was smiling in the picture. He had a massive grin on his face while looking at the man whom he assumed was Shoyo. Kenma hadn't been only during their time apart, and Kuroo couldn't decide whether he was jealous or grateful. </p><p>"Kuro, come take a bath with me." Kenma offered, holding his hand out while dressed in only slacks and an open button-up. Kuroo put the photo down and walked towards Kenma, taking his hand and leading him back into the bathroom where they sat in the tub and allowed for the reality that they had reunited to set in.</p><p>They spent the weekend together. Kuroo called in, and Kenma had Moksei lie and say he was sick. Mokosei didn't know what was going on, but he would soon. Kuroo was content with keeping their relationship a secret, but Kenma insisted on telling Mokosei. </p><p>So once the weekend had come to an end, both Kenma and Kuroo went to the office. Kenma looked more professional than he had the night of the banquet, and he a certain glow about him that he not been there before. Kuroo looked nice as well. He wanted to make a good impression the first going to Kenma's office, so he dressed up. He had a wave of residing anger toward Mokosei lingering in the back of his mind. But he did his best to ignore it, knowing that the man held a frustratingly large amount of power over their relationship. </p><p>Kuroo walked at Kenma's side in awe of his power. He watched as the other people in the building shied away from him in fear or basked in his presence like he was a god of some kind. He couldn't lie and say that seeing Kenma order people around and scare the shit out of his employees wasn't the one most attractive things he had ever seen. </p><p>"So this is the company," Kuroo hummed as he entered Kenma's office. Kenma chuckled and kissed Kuroo's cheek before he took a seat behind his desk. </p><p>"Yes, I hope to show you more. But first, let's get this mess out of the way," Kenma told him with a smile while looking through a stack of papers. </p><p>Once Kenma found the file he was digging for, he left Kuroo alone in his office and went to look for Mokosei. He found him in an empty conference room, setting out business proposals for his next scheduled meeting. Kenma cleared his throat behind Mokosei, prompting him to hold his hand out behind his back to receive the folder. Mokosei nodded in approval as he flipped through the papers and smiled contently at Kenma once he felt they were ready. </p><p>"You look-...clean, Kozume. All we're doing is finalizing some paperwork on that patent, is there something in the schedule I forgot?" Mokosei asked before pulling out his phone and scrolling through his very detailed itinerary. </p><p>"No. No, It's just that I have something I need to talk to you about." Kenma chuckled nervously before pulling out a chair for himself and motioning for Mokosei to sit. </p><p>Mokosei looked at Kenma through narrowed eyes and watched as the man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It took a moment, but eventually, Kenma took a deep breath and looked Mokosei in the eyes with an intensity Mokosei only saw when he'd play video games. The way Kenma was staring at him made him nervous, and in the back of his mind, he was already planning on making a public statement about whatever controversy he was sure Kenma was about to disclose to him. </p><p>Kenma straightened his back and folded his hands in his lap before beginning the speech he had been preparing for longer than he would care to admit. </p><p>"I am dating Kuroo, the bartender from the bar you took me to months ago. I broke up with him when you told me to, and I tried. I tried to live without him, but it nearly killed me. It's not a fling. It's not just sex. I think I'm falling in love with him. So I am not asking you. I am telling. He is what I want, and I am not willing to give him up." Kenma told him in a firm tone, holding eye contact. Kenma took another deep breath and interlaced his fingers before leaning forward with his forearms sitting on his thighs. "So what is going to happen is Kuroo, and I will continue to keep our relationship away from the public eye. We will be careful, and if we slip up, you do what I pay you to do. Handle it. This is not something we will be discussing. You can go now, bring up the idiot whose game we're buying." Kenma ordered before signaling Mokosei away with a flick of his fingers. </p><p>Mokosei stood without a word and walked out of the conference room with a neutral expression. Kenma didn't see the smile that spread across his face as soon as the door closed behind him. Mokosei was proud. Proud that Kenma had stood up to him and that he had fought for something he wanted. He was hesitant about keeping his mouth shut, but after hearing him speak with such conviction, he knew it would be okay. He knew Kenma would be just fine making his own decisions. </p><p>Once Kenma was certain Mokosei had made it to the elevator, he rose from his chair with shaky legs and rushed to his office, frightening a myriad of employees who wondered if he was after them. He busted through his office door, kissed Kuroo in a way that made all tension leave his body before shouting a goodbye and returning to the conference room for his meeting. </p><p>Kuroo sat in a daze after Kenma left. He was a little lost, but he felt comfortable after receiving the message that the kiss had conveyed to him. Because after the initial shock of experiencing a crazy-eyed Kenma kiss him so suddenly, he felt content knowing that everything was going to be just fine.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kenma let out a sigh after saying goodnight to his stream. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands and looked at the time before letting out a frustrated screech. It was early, and he was beginning to remember why he had planned to end his stream prematurely. </p><p>That night he would be introduced to Kuroo's friends as his boyfriend for the first time. Kenma rented out one of his favorite restaurants and filled it with a trusted chef, favorite waiter, and a few other staff members who would act with discretion. He was nervous, and if he was honest with himself, he didn't want to go. But Kuroo meant more to him than a few hours of discomfort. </p><p>Kenma stood and stretched with his arms above his head, only to have the doorbell interrupt his post stream ritual of screaming at the top of his lungs as his bones cracked from lack of movement. He let out a huff and shuffled to the door, where he greeted Kuroo. Kenma smiled at his boyfriend and went to kiss him but stopped when he noticed the confused expression on his face. Kenma frowned and followed Kuroo's eyes down to his clothes. </p><p>"No fucking way," Kenma breathed before suddenly turning around and attempting to run away. But Kuroo snapped out of his dazed state just in time to grab onto Kenma. He pulled him into his chest and held him still as his hands slid down the sides of Kenma's body.</p><p>"What is this, Kenma?" Kuroo asked, his voice low as his lips grazed Kenma's ear. A blush spread across Kenma's face when he looked down at his thigh highs and the lacy part of his petty coat; he couldn't believe how stupid he had been to answer the door in his costume.</p><p>"Fanservice, Kuroo." Kenma snorted, trying his best to shake out of Kuroo's hold while hiding the fact that he was flustered.</p><p>"You are lucky we have somewhere to be. Now get changed, and don't worry, we can bring this out again soon," Kuroo chuckled as he slid his hand up Kenma's thigh and under his skirt. Kenma shoved Kuroo's hand away and rushed into his bedroom, quickly throwing off the maid costume and cat ears before pulling on the clothes he had laid out before he had started his stream.</p><p>He was beyond embarrassed, but a small part of him did enjoy the way Kuroo's hand looked when they were sliding up the base of his skirt. Kenma shook the image away and focused on the task at hand while silently cursing Kuroo for getting him so worked up before an important event. Kenma walked out of his bedroom with his hands clasped behind his back, skipping sightly on his way to Kuroo. </p><p>"Kenma," Kuroo deadpanned as he took in Kenma's outfit. "It's dinner with Bokuto and Akaashi. Why the hell are you so dressed up?" Kenma frowned and looked down at his suit. </p><p>Mokosei had got it custom-made and had a tailor make it fit him perfectly. Kenma's assistant had become a pillar of support in their relationship, helping Kenma with all of the things he was terrible at, like planning dates and setting up time with each other. He even helped Kenma read in between the lines conversations he didn't quite understand. Mokosei attended to all of it. </p><p>Which was why Kenma was so confused; Mokosei had never been wrong about anything before. He genuinely expected the clothes that he had picked out for him to be perfect for the occasion. </p><p>"What's wrong with it? I assumed I should make a good impression now that we are together. What do you want me to wear, a tee shirt and sweats?" Kenma pouted, a little upset that Kuroo didn't notice the effort he was putting in to make the night perfect.</p><p>"No, no. You look perfect, Kenma. I'm just a little nervous. I mean, we're college students. I work at a bar, Akaashi gets paid next to nothing at the magazine, and Bokuto is a student-athlete. What I'm trying to say is that we live in different worlds. I'm just nervous that they'll be weird about it." Kuroo confessed, grabbing Kenma's wrists and placing his hands on either side of his face as he looked up at him from his seat on the couch. </p><p>Kenma let out a sigh and smiled softly down at Kuroo. He pushed his hair back and placed a kiss on his forehead before pulling him onto his feet and heading towards the door with Kuroo in tow. Kenma stopped in front of his key hooks and looked back at Kuroo before hovering his hand over the sets, trying to figure out which car would make him feel more comfortable. Kenma didn't always show it, but he did listen to what Kuroo said. So if he didn't want Kenma to seem too flashy, he'd pick out a car that would make him comfortable.</p><p>"Kenma, what are you doing?" Kuroo chuckled with his chin on Kenma's shoulder. Kenma shooed him away and grabbed the keys of his most obscure car, and set off. </p><p>Kuroo held onto Kenma's hand in the car, not noticing how Kenma was holding onto his fingers with an unusually tight grip. He had thought about the night since Kuroo brought it up. He wanted to be involved in Kuroo's life the way Kuroo couldn't be in his, but he was scared. </p><p>He knew Kuroo's friends were there for him when he wasn't, that they were the ones who picked him up and pulled together the pieces that he broke. Kenma didn't know how they would react to seeing him because he knew that if he were them, he would be plotting revenge for Kuroo. He just hoped they were better people than he was. </p><p>When they arrived at the restaurant, they saw Akaashi speaking to Bokuto. He was whispering, but the look on his face, and the way his hands were moving, they could tell they were in the middle of something. Kuroo cleared his throat and tightened his hold on Kenma's hand before he pushed forward and approached the pair. </p><p>"Akaashi-...Bokuto, It's nice to see you again. I'm glad you agreed to come," Kenma nervously chuckled as he shook Akaashi's hand. He moved to greet Bokuto the same away, but the man would barely look at him, so he felt that a handshake was too much to ask for at that moment. </p><p>The four of them went inside, and when Kuroo realized what Kenma had done, he started regretting allowing Kenma to plan the get-together. If it were up to him, he would have invited them over to Kenma's to have a couple of drinks, and he would impress them with Kenma's collection of games. But he asked Kenma to do it, thinking they were on the same wavelength, but after entering the restaurant, he realized Mokosei had definitely had some input. </p><p>"Why is it empty? It looks nice but-..." Bokuto was cut off by Akaashi whispering an explanation in his ear, making his eyes widen. Bokuto tried to play it off by letting out an unimpressed scoff, but inside he was going insane. </p><p>Kuroo stifled a laugh as he sat down, admiring Kenma as he took off to speak to the staff directly. It drove him crazy knowing that a man with so much power allowed him to feel in control at times, but he also loved it when Kenma took control.</p><p>"My god, you're in love." Bokuto accused. He leaned over the table with his palms flat against the surface, staring into Kuroo's eyes to make sure it wasn't in his imagination. But when he looked into his eyes, past the sad attempt to hide it, he saw love, a love he held for Kenma. </p><p>"What?" Kuroo shrieked, trying to laugh off the shock that ran through his body as soon as Bokuto said those words. </p><p>"You are. It's in your face. I could see it as soon as you walked up. Bokuto didn't want to admit it. But he sees it now," Akaashi muttered, patting Bokuto's thigh contently after having their dispute from earlier settled with no major impediments. Bokuto slumped in his chair and ran his hands over his face, hating that he would have to learn to like the man Kuroo had nearly drank himself to death over. </p><p>Kuroo saw that realization in Bokuto and felt the tension in his shoulders dissipate. When Kenma returned to the group, he held Kuroo's hand under the table and got to talking with Akaashi. It was fascinating to Kuroo, seeing Kenma take a small detail about a person and turn it into an entire conversation piece. He read people well despite swearing he was an awful conversationalist. </p><p>"Can you send me a few of your pieces? I don't want to give you false hope but let me see what I can do. Maybe I can help you get your name out there." Kenma shrugged before thanking the waiter after he finished pouring the table's wine. </p><p>Akaashi tried to hide the excitement he felt, but a grin spread across his face, and he saw what Kuroo saw. Kenma tried to act like he was selfish, like he wasn't a good man. But he cared, and he knew how to do things. Kenma was careful and selfless. He was able to seek out opportunities that would benefit not only him but the people around him. </p><p>As dinner progressed, they got more comfortable with each other, and eventually, Kenma reserved himself to watching the three of them interact. </p><p>He enjoyed seen Kuroo happy and listening to the stories they had of each other. He thought of how it would be if Kuroo met Shoyo and Kageyama, but then he grimaced, knowing that it would go terribly. But he considered it because he felt Kuroo deserved to experience all aspects of his life he was able to show to him. He wouldn't keep anything from him that he didn't need to. </p><p>Towards the end of dessert, Kuroo's phone rang. He had been receiving texts all night, but that was the first call he had received since dinner began.</p><p>"I am so sorry. Give me a second." Kuroo apologized and excused himself, giving Kenma's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before going outside to take the call. </p><p>Kenma smiled back at Bokuto and Akaashi and tried to hide his uneasiness by taking a sip of Kuroo's wine. He could see something in their expressions, something that told him that call meant something. But he couldn't ask, or more accurately, he didn't want to. If he asked and got an answer, and that answer wasn't what he wanted, it would cause conflict. He couldn't deal with something like that, it would hurt, and he didn't want to hurt anymore.</p><p>When Kuroo came back in, his entire aura had changed. He seemed drained, and even though he was talking, the energy that was there before was gone. Kenma wanted to ignore it, but as the night progressed, it kept eating away at him. By the time they said goodbye and Kenma was driving the two of them back to his place, Kuroo had fallen asleep in his passenger seat. </p><p>While he slept, his phone continued to buzz, message after message kept flowing in, forcing Kenma's curiosity to grow to a nearly unbearable size. As Kenma slowed to a stop at a light, Kuroo began to stir. In the process of changing his position, Kuroo's phone slipped out of his pocket and onto the floor. Kenma stared at the phone's screen for a moment before leaning down and grabbing it. </p><p>He stared at the name on the screen and remembered seeing the same name months ago, the night when he first went to Kuroo's apartment. He knew Kuroo didn't lock his phone, and he knew that he didn't delete texts. So if he opened the phone and looked he would get an answer. But just as he was about to open his messages, the car behind him honked, startling him just enough to turn it off and place it in one of the cup holders. </p><p>Kenma exhaled through his nose and rubbed his eyes, disappointed at his actions. He couldn't believe he nearly looked through his boyfriend's phone. He trusted Kuroo, he did, but he couldn't keep the feeling of uncertainty from growing inside of him. </p><p>Kenma parked his car and ran his hands over his face before reaching over and slowly moving his hand over Kuroo's leg to wake him up. Kuroo let out a groan and slowly turned his head to show Kenma a lazy smile. He kept his eyes shut for a moment before looking at Kenma with his eyelids half-closed. </p><p>"Hey, kitten. I'm sleepy," Kuroo mumbled, earning a smile from Kenma. </p><p>"Let's go to bed, c'mon." Kenma chuckled before opening his door and walking over to Kuroo's side of the car. Kuroo held onto his hand and leaned his head down on Kenma's shoulder, keeping his eyes closed the entire way up to Kenma's apartment. </p><p>Kuroo immediately went to the bedroom and tried to lay down, but every time he did, Kenma pulled him back up. Kuroo leaned his forehead against Kenma's stomach as he removed his clothes, tiredly muttering suggestive comments every time Kenma tossed a piece of his clothing aside. </p><p>Kenma smiled to himself as he unbuttoned Kuroo's shirt, admiring the way his hands looked across his bare chest. He slid his hands up across his collar bones and down his arms, slowly removing his shirt before tossing it away into the pile of the rest of his clothes, and just as he was about to push Kuroo back onto the bed to sleep, Kuroo wrapped his arms around Kenma. Kuroo looked up at Kenma and opened his eyes; he stared at him with a soft expression and blinked slowly before motioning Kenma to come closer. </p><p>"You're tired. Go to sleep. I'll come to bed after I take a shower." Kenma told him as he pushed his fingers through Kuroo's hair. Kuroo shooked his head childishly before laying back and taking Kenma with him. </p><p>"I don't want to sleep without you," Kuroo mumbled with his face buried in Kenma's shirt. Kenma let out a tired sigh and nodded before sitting up on Kuroo's lap to remove his clothes. </p><p>"Lovely," Kuroo commented, prompting an eye roll from Kenma. </p><p>Once he was undressed, Kuroo pulled him back down and cuddled into his side, falling asleep nearly instantaneously. On the other hand, Kenma couldn't sleep. He just laid there, petting Kuroo's hair and staring at the ceiling. His mind was moving a million miles a second, and every time he would try to close his eyes to make it stop, an awful thought would appear and make his eyes shoot right back open. </p><p>His terrible night sleep took a toll on Kenma. His deprivation of rest was never good for anyone, especially his employees. Even Mokosei was a bit afraid of Kenma when he wouldn't sleep his allotted four hours.</p><p>"Kozume, you have a visitor. She was on the schedule, but I can tell her you can't do it today." Mokosei chuckled nervously as his head peaked into Kenma's office. </p><p>Kenma had his head leaned into his hand as he wrote, and when he processed what Mokosei had said, he didn't even lift his head. He just motioned him to bring the woman into the room with a half-hearted wave.</p><p>He grimaced at the sound of her heels clicking on the tile and nearly kicked her out the moment he got a whiff of her perfume. But he knew that she was there to interview him, so he had to make a decent impression. After shaking her hand over his desk, he leaned back in his chair and looked at the reporter with absolutely no interest in his eyes.</p><p>"So, Ms. Ito, what can I do for you?" Kenma asked in a sigh as he rocked in his chair. </p><p>He listened to her explain that the basis of the interview and tried not to act like himself. But he hated listening to the same questions over and over again and what Ms. Ito planned to ask him was no different from his previous meetings with people like her. Plus, he learned that the magazine she worked for was known for its gossip column. He hated people who leeched off other people's lives the way gossip columnist did, so in the middle of his interview, the filter he lazily sent his thoughts through had begun to dissipate. </p><p>"What about your love life, Mr. Kozume? Are you seeing anyone?" The woman asked with an odd ferocity about her. Her voice was the same, but the way she was looking at him made him uneasy. </p><p>"My life is consumed by work. I do not have time for relationships." Kenma answered as he always did, ignoring the tinge of guilt that came with his response. His answers were brief and laced with passive-aggressiveness, the same as what Ms. Ito's were. </p><p>"Oh, because your following is suspicious, they say you seem happier and here," The woman paused before reaching into her bag and pulling out a folder. She then placed an array of photos in front of Kenma while smiling as if she had caught him in the biggest scandal of the century. "You can see a shadow in the back of one of your streams. Here you have a mark on the side of your neck, many suspect a love bite, and here you are seen in clothes that do not fit you, from a lover perhaps?" Ms. Ito explained while pointing to each thing she was accusing him of in the photos. </p><p>He exhaled tiredly and leaned forward to look closer at the photos. Kenma laughed to himself while he looked them over. He was almost embarrassed that he felt any sense of panic over the ridiculous accusations she was making, mostly because she had such faulty evidence backing herself up. </p><p>"Here," Kenma pointed to the first photo. "That is the shadow of one of my figurines. I have a collection. In this one, that's a rash and look at how I dress. Ms. Ito, I have no interest in revealing the aspects of my personal life to the public. So unless you have questions pertaining to my business, I suggest you leave-...now." Kenma warned in a stern tone before he walked over to the door and opened it for her. </p><p>She opened her mouth to speak, but Kenma interrupted her before she could. "Leave, or I will have you removed. I am not a kind man. I have no issue humiliating a woman." His tone of voice seemed disinterested, but the way he looked at her said everything he didn't reveal while speaking. He had no intention of getting riled up, especially when he knew she didn't actually have anything on him. </p><p>"I'll be back, Mr. Kozume. If you refuse to admit it, I'll expose you myself." Kenma ignored her comment and shut the door behind her before returning back to his desk. </p><p>He had his hands in his hair, pulling at his roots aggressively to ease some of his frustration. He had his eyes shut, and all he could think about was the sick feeling he had in his stomach. Kenma was aware of his position in the public eye, but the confirmation that he watched without his consent and without any idea of when they would be looking was horrifying. He knew he couldn't bring it up to Kuroo, and Moksoei was out of the question. He felt alone and worried about what it would be mean if Ms. Ito ever ended up finding what she was looking to expose. He didn't know what to do at the moment; all he knew was that Mitsuki Ito would be an issue eventually. </p><p>Just as Kenma's mind was scrambling to find the best solution to his issue without disturbing his relationship or his business, a soft knock emanated from behind his closed door. He began to prepare to scold whoever dared to bother him, but when he saw Kuroo's head peak in, a wave of relief washed over him. </p><p>"Come here," Kenma mumbled while motioning Kuroo over with his fingers. Kuroo didn't say a word. Instead, he listened obediently and went to stand next to Kenma's chair. </p><p>Kenma turned and sat with his legs on either side of Kuroo. He leaned his head into Kuroo and let out a breath, taking a moment to relieve his stress. Kenma reached down and grabbed Kuroo's wrist, placing his hand on top of his head and nodding into Kuroo's abdomen, demanding him to stroke his head.</p><p>"What's wrong, kitten?" Kenma lifted his head to look up at Kuroo before letting out a huff and burying his face in the front of Kuroo's jacket. "You were gone when I woke up. I thought I'd come to get you for lunch." </p><p>"Momo is getting lunch. Let's stay like this for a little while," Kenma breathed, causing Kuroo to smile warmly down at him. </p><p>"I think I can do that," Kuroo chuckled before leaning down and kissing the top of Kenma's head. </p><p>Kuroo did as he was told and stood while petting Kenma's hair. He loved when Kenma would get needy, it was rare and would usually only happen after he had been up for an extended period of time. No matter the circumstance, Kuroo wouldn't pass up the chance to baby his boyfriend. </p><p>After a few minutes, Kenma stood, keeping his eyes low and forehead rested against Kuroo's shoulder. He rested his hand on Kuroo's chest, over his heart, admiring the way Kuroo's heart pounded under his touch. </p><p>"Kenma, tell me what's wrong," Kuroo whispered, looking down at Kenma, growing more worried the longer he stayed silent. </p><p>He wasn't listening. Instead, Kenma slipped his hand higher, slowly wrapping his hand Kuroo's neck and cherishing the way his pulse felt against his fingers. He felt comfort knowing that Kuroo's heart raced the same way his heart did when they were together. Kenma moved his hand behind Kuroo's head and slipped his finger's into his hair. </p><p>"Baby, we're at your office," Kuroo warned, trying his best to keep his hands settled on Kenma's hips and not wandering anywhere else. </p><p>"Would you stay with me if had nothing?" Kenma breathed, clenching his eyes shut at the feeling of Kuroo's grip tightening around his waist. He looked up at Kuroo and held his balled fists in between them. </p><p>As Kuroo looked down at him, he saw a vulnerability he never saw in Kenma. He was almost offended by Kenma asking such a thing before he noticed that his question was genuine. He didn't mean anything by it. He honestly wanted to know. He wasn't questioning Kuroo's loyalty; he just wanted more information. That's all Kenma ever really wanted. </p><p>Kuroo lifted his hand to Kenma's cheek and slid his thumb under his eye, letting out a soft sigh as Kenma leaned into his touch. He could see his exhaustion, his stress, everything he refused to talk about with him. Kenma never let Kuroo see the lesser parts of him. Kuroo wondered if it stemmed from a lack of trust, but as he looked down at Kenma, silently bearing his scars without shame or worry, he knew that Kenma was only protecting himself the single way he knew how. </p><p>"Don't ask me that ever again, Kenma." He warned with his voice stern, muffled against Kenma's skin. "I won't leave. I don't think I can." Kuroo whispered, lowering his head and burying his face in the curvature of Kenma's neck. </p><p>"Promise?" Kenma asked while stroking Kuroo's hair gently.</p><p>"Promise," Kuroo responded before placing a kiss on Kenma's collarbone.</p><p>The pair stood in silence until Mokosei arrived with food. Stories were swirling around the company about Kenma's new friend. The rumors reach nearly everyone in the building by the time Kuroo was getting ready to leave, so when Kenma walked him downstairs, Kuroo was beginning to receive the same treatment as his boyfriend. </p><p>"Why are they looking at me like that?" Kuroo whispered, lowering his head next to Kenma's ear so only he could hear. He was standing slightly behind Kenma, trying to hide, despite being both taller and physically larger than him. </p><p>"They've seen you with me on a few occasions, so they think you're a business partner or something. If you need anything and Mokosei and I aren't around, ask an intern. They're dumb and scared of everything." Kenma stated having already returned to his regular cold and seemingly disinterested character. </p><p>"It's nice being the boss's mistress." Kuroo joked in a low voice, causing a wave of heat to rush to Kenma's cheeks. Kenma sent his hand into Kuroo's chest before stepping into the elevator. He smacked Kuroo's hand away when he went to press the button for the ground floor and instead hit the button to go to the parking garage. </p><p>"I didn't drive," Kuroo chuckled, trying to remind Kenma that he didn't have a car. </p><p>"Take my car," Kenma told him while placing his keys into Kuroo's palm. </p><p>Kuroo stared at Kenma with wide eyes before attempting to give Kenma back his keys. But every time Kuroo would extend his hand, Kenma would shove it away until the two were practically wrestling in the elevator trying to get each other to take the keys. </p><p>"Listen, I don't want you walking home alone anymore, and I hate when you use those ride-sharing apps. So take my car, it's not my only one. If you don't, I'll have Mokosei take you to work." Kenma threatened, knowing Kuroo would rather die than sit in a car with Mokosei without Kenma present. </p><p>Kuroo was hesitant but eventually gave in. He hated all the fuss. But if he was entirely honest with himself, it was nice to have someone so concerned for him. He couldn't remember the last time someone had caused such a fuss about his well-being. He hated to admit it but enjoyed being the one spoiled as much as he liked pampering Kenma. </p><p>"Have a good day, don't be too mean to your employees. I close tonight, so I will home late again; don't wait up. Bye, bye kitten." Kuroo purred while burying his face in the side of Kenma's neck, getting in a little more contact before having to leave for the day. Kenma chuckled and smoothed down the back of his hair. </p><p>He smiled at the fact that with Kuroo away, he would get to stay up a lot later than Kuroo usually allowed. Ever since they started spending more nights together, Kuroo had been enforcing healthy habits. Going to bed at a reasonable hour, eating substantial meals, and drinking water on a daily basis were all things Kuroo made Kenma do. While Kenma pretended to hate it, he liked having someone take care of him, even if he acted like he didn't on the surface.</p><p>Kenma wasn't accustomed to having someone look out for him all the time, but he liked it. His skin was bright, the bags under his eyes had faded to a soft purple hue, he was smiling more, and he had even gained a little weight. He never imagined that his diet of energy drinks and takeout could have been the reason he stayed so thin. He had never taken into account his health, but for Kuroo, he tried, for the first time in a long time, Kenma felt that it couldn't hurt to care for himself, simply so he could stay around a little longer.</p><p>He appreciated Kuroo, and he showed it in odd ways, which was why he was so adamant about getting Kuroo to drive his car to work. He was just happy to get him to agree. It was a small victory that gave Kenma a sense of satisfaction. </p><p>"Have a good day at work. Love you." Kenma told Kuroo, the words slipping from his lips effortlessly as if he had said them a million times before. It felt so natural at the moment that it took him a moment to comprehend the magnitude of his words. </p><p>Kuroo stared up at Kenma from his position in the driver seat, his eyes wide and lips parted slightly in surprise. The shape of his lips morphed into a frown before his hand went to his mouth. Kuroo clenched his eyes shut for a second before he glared up at Kuroo with playful disdain in his eyes. </p><p>"I wanted to say that first. No fair." He pouted before pulling Kenma over by his wrist and sitting with his legs still outside the car. Kenma stood between his thighs and allowed Kuroo to pull him down and kiss him softly. No matter how many times it happened, he looked forward to the feeling that came when their lips would touch. </p><p>"I love you too, Kenma." Kuroo smiled. Kenma tsked his tongue and tried to play off his blush by covering his face and motioning for Kuroo to drive away as he stepped away from the car. </p><p>"Go to work, don't be late." Kenma scolded, shutting the car door. He stared at Kuroo through the window for a second and grimaced, hating the butterflies that filled his stomach from the way Kuroo looked at him. He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face before directing Kuroo to roll the window down. </p><p>Kenma leaned inside and kissed Kuroo one last time before shoving his head away and scolding him one last time for not having left yet, despite being the reason Kuroo hadn't been allowed to leave. </p><p>Kuroo looked like a maniac on his way to work. He had the biggest grin on his face and was belting love songs at the top of his lungs. He was on cloud nine, and for a moment, he managed to forget everything that was bothering him. </p><p>"What the hell? You told me Kenma wasn't your sugar daddy! You lied!" Bokuto exclaimed while Akaashi stayed silent, only able to stare at the luxury vehicle in awe. "See, I told you 'Kaashi." Bokuto sang while skipping over to admire the car up close. </p><p>"Bo, do not touch the car. Kenma let me borrow it. He didn't buy it for me either. It's just one-...of his many cars," Kuroo paused before bursting out laughing. </p><p>His friend allowed him to continue his fit, ignoring the looks they were getting from the people passing by. Kuroo could admit he looked a bit insane, but he couldn't help it. He thought his situation was hilarious. He had reserved himself to be a lot of things in life. He accepted that he was never going to achieve his dreams and that he would never find someone to love him. So many things had gone wrong for him in the past that he had accepted that he would never actually be happy. </p><p>But looking at his friends and seeing them talk about his boyfriend made a wave of realization hit him. He was happy with Kenma and the way things were going. It was real. Kenma wasn't just some person; he made up in his head no matter how many times he had to remind himself that he wasn't just a hallucination. He was a real person who cared about Kuroo and did things for him without expecting anything in return. </p><p>Kuroo had gotten used to being the one consistently giving and never getting anything in return when it came to relationships. But things were different with Kenma. Kenma did what he said he was going to do, and even though Kenma wasn't keen on showing it, he did a lot for Kuroo. He followed through with plans, no matter how small or insignificant they seemed. For example, earlier that day, Kuroo saw a sticky note with a time and date for a phone call with the magazine where Kenma had a contact. Kuroo knew Kenmwa wouldn't bring it up, but Kenma was going to get Akaashi a job interview. There was also the amount of effort Kenma put into impressing Kuroo and how he tried to change little things about himself for their relationship. </p><p>Kuroo loved Kenma more than words could describe, and for a moment, he felt safe in their own little bubble of love. He felt like nothing could hurt them, that was until a familiar face walked in through the bar doors. </p><p>"Hello, Tetsurou." The woman hummed, motioning him closer with her finger. </p><p>"Mitsuki, please. Leave me alone." Kuroo begged, trying his best not to look at her. </p><p>"Why? Will Kozume get jelous?" Kuroo's back stiffened before he turned and faced the evil smirk across the bar. "He's cute. I get it. A little sassy, I can see the appeal. He has money, too, and from the car, I can see you're using him to his full potential." She chuckled while she swirled her finger around the surface of the bar. </p><p>Kuroo's jaw clenched and a sense of hatred burned inside of his chest. He felt ill from the sensation. He couldn't stand her talking about Kenma that he couldn't think clearly. All the things he should have been focusing on left his mind, and all he could think of was protecting Kenma from his own issues. </p><p>"Leave, Kenma out of this. Just go, Mitsuki, we are done. We have been for a long time." Kuroo sighed. The exhaustion from the situation causing his anger to reside. </p><p>"No, I know you still love me. Kenma is just a phase. You think it's fun and exciting to be with a guy, especially one with money. You need time to get over all of that, and I'm willing to be okay with it. You'll be back to me soon enough. Once Kenma loses his appeal, I'll have you back." Mitsuki shrugged before placing her bag on the bar and taking a large envelope out of it. </p><p>"Take a look at that, and make your decision. Either you come back to me, or I make sure you have nowhere else to go." Mitsuki blew Kuroo a kiss and winked before hopping off the stool and walking out of the bar. She swung her hips side to side and waved at customers as if she was the happiest woman on earth because she knew that whatever was in that envelope would ruin Kuroo's day. </p><p>Kuroo picked up the envelope and watched an array of photos taken from varying distances fell onto the bar. The last thing to come out was a flash drive. He didn't bother to look at it; he was far more focused on the photos of him and Kenma together. Some of them could have gotten written off as platonic friends hanging out together, but others had them kissing, holding each other, and looking at one another the way no friends did. </p><p>Kuroo stared down at the images in his hands and closed his eyes. He wanted to guard Kenma against anything that could potentially hurt him. But Kuroo also knew that protecting Kenma meant losing him, and he wasn't willing to give him up after just getting him back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kuroo's hands shook as he typed in the code to Kenma's apartment. He had spent the entirety of his shift trying to figure out a way to handle the circumstances. He was so preoccupied with dealing with his ex trying to ruin his life that he had snapped at a few customers and even yelled at Bokuto. He was exhausted, and the situation was provoking a physical response. His stomach ached, his head hurt, and every time he'd think of what Mitsuki was doing to him, he'd feel a rush of anger that made him nauseous. </p><p>He shuffled inside, half expecting to see Kenma already in bed, but he found him sitting on the floor of the living room, looking up at the massive television, moving his body with the controller as he played. Kuroo smiled as he heard Kenma scream profanities at his team and nearly decided right then and there not to say anything to Kenma. But Kuroo knew he had to; he knew that no matter how badly he wanted to not mess things up with Kenma, protecting him from Mitsuki had to come first.</p><p>Kenma glanced away from the screen for a second and waved Kuroo over, motioning him to sit down in front of him. Kuroo let out a content sigh and sat down in front of Kenma. He happily accepted Kenma into his lap and wrapping his arms around the man's waist as he situated himself, so his chin settled on Kuroo's shoulder, and his arms wrapped behind his back. He was still playing, but at least Kuroo got to have a bit of his attention. </p><p>Kuroo could hear Kenma's teammates asking why he had gotten so quiet and how he had suddenly gotten significantly better, but Kenma didn't want to disturb Kuroo, so he tried not to say anything. But once the match ended and the winner's screen appeared, Kenma let out an excited cheer and tore off his headset to kiss Kuroo. He buried his face in his shoulder and slid his hands under Kuroo's shirt, warming his fingers against Kuroo's skin. </p><p>"You feel tense, is something wrong?" Kenma asked while holding Kuroo's face in his hands and squishing his cheeks a bit to try to form a smile on Kuroo's lips. </p><p>Kuroo looked into Kenma's eyes for a while, trying to find something to hold onto before opening his mouth. Kuroo had everything he wanted to say planned out in his head, and even though he was terrified of what would come, he knew it needed to happen. He just wanted to see Kenma happy for a moment longer before he told him. </p><p>Kuroo raised his hand and grabbed Kenma's wrist, holding it gently for a moment before lowering his touch from his cheek. He lowered his gaze for a moment before reaching around Kenma and grabbing the envelope he left on the coffee table when he had walked in. </p><p>"Before I met you-...six months before I met you. I was in a relationship. We were together for three years," Kuroo breathed, speaking slowly and at a steady pace. He could feel Kenma's body moving away from him as he continued. "She broke up with me, but she kept-... Actually, I don't know what she was trying to do. But I tried to get her to stop. After I met you, I tried to get her to stop all of it." </p><p>Kuroo stopped talking for a moment and let out a shaky breath. Kenma froze and rose from Kuroo's lap. He walked over to the couch and took a seat. He had his elbows settled on his knees and his clasped hands pressed against his lips. He was trying to process what was happening. But as he sat there, he realized Kuroo had stopped talking. He looked over at Kuroo and motioned for him to continue before returning his gaze to the stain on the rug he had never noticed before. </p><p>Kuroo stood and took a seat on the coffee table. He reached over and lifted Kenma's chin so their eyes could meet. </p><p>"She didn't want things to be over. But I did, and no matter how hard I tried to get away from her, she managed to get to me." Kenma's head shot up at a sudden realization. He raised his finger to stop Kuroo, opening and closing his mouth a few times before moving the hand covering his mouth and pointing at Kuroo before putting his fist back to his lips. </p><p>"She? You aren't gay?" Kenma exhaled with his eyes narrowed. Kuroo let out a frustrated groan and sent his hands into his hair. </p><p>"Y-... Kenma, listen to me for a second," Kuroo begged a sense of desperation in his tone. Kenma nodded and waved his hand for Kuroo to start speaking again. "She cut me off from my friends, controlled every aspect of my life, and made it, so I only had her. But with you and Bo, I thought I had gotten away from her. But just when I started to move on, she began to retaliate. Texts, calls, showing up everywhere I was, and finally this," Kuroo sighed before pointing to the envelope Kenma had set down next to him on the couch. </p><p>The second Kenma caught a glimpse of the photos, his entire persona change. His body language shifted, and the expression on his face went from confused and pre-panic to calm in a matter of seconds. He sat back with his ankle over his knee, spreading out the photographs on the couch. His eyebrows were knit together, and as he looked them over, he was mouthing words to himself.</p><p>Kuroo was expecting to get some reaction out of Kenma. Any sort of response would have been better than what the silence was doing to him. He tried to get Kenma to talk to him, but every time he'd reach over and try to touch him, Kenma would slap his hand away and continue muttering to himself.  </p><p>It was a long time before Kenma looked away from the photos and even longer before he spoke. Kuroo expected to be yelled at, hit, or scolded, but the response Kuroo got from Kenma was what he least expected. </p><p>"I need a name, address, phone number, any other information you have on her. I have to make a few phone calls, but-..." Kenma began, but when he looked up, he saw Kuroo staring at him with tears in his eyes. Kenma dropped out of his business persona and immediately rushed forward. He knelt in front of Kuroo and cupped his face in his hands, trying his best to console him the only way he knew how. </p><p>"Kuroo, baby, why are you crying? What else did she do to you? I-... I don't admit this often, but I know people. I can make her leave the country if necessary. Just let me fix this, we can fix this," Kenma rushed, his eyes bouncing across Kuroo's face in an effort to read him the way Kuroo could read him. </p><p>Kuroo let out a hollow laugh and raised his hands to the sides of Kenma's face before kissing him as tears began to stream down his face. </p><p>"I love you," Kuroo whispered as he pulled away. </p><p>"I love you too, Kuroo. Now please stop crying." Kenma pleaded. He had Kuroo's head against his chest, and when he listened to Kuroo sniffle, he could feel the tears burning his eyes. He hated seeing Kuroo upset, and what was making it worse was the idea that the person who had made him feel that way also made him feel as if Kuroo had no place to go but her. </p><p>Kenma didn't know what to expect when Kuroo first began talking. The only reason he was so quiet was that he thought the conversation was going in a completely different direction. But after learning that Kuroo wasn't breaking up with him. He felt relieved. The situation was bad, but it wasn't something Kenma felt he couldn't handle. He just wanted to protect Kuroo from whatever was hurting him.</p><p>"Let's go to bed. We'll figure this out in the morning. Come on." Kenma pulled Kuroo to his feet and guided him to bed. </p><p>Kuroo curled into Kenma's side and laid with his head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as his eyes grew heavy. He felt safe in his arms, in a way he had never experienced before. </p><p>The next morning Kenma used the stove for the first time.</p><p>He had Mokosei on the phone the entire time talking him through it while they worked to resolve the situation. He had his hair tied up and even stole one of Kuroo's aprons. He found beating the eggs to be therapeutic because the more he learned about Kuroo's ex, the angrier he got.</p><p>Mitsuki Ito was a vile woman, and Kenma intended on making her pay for everything she did for Kuroo and then a little extra for making him admit to Mokosei that he needed help. </p><p>"Momo, listen, sweetie, I don't think you understand. Listen to my words and then do what I am telling you. I will see you in a couple of hours. I'm coming in late today. Bye," Kenma rushed out before tossing his phone onto the counter and plating the breakfast he had worked so hard to make edible. It was simple and a little messy, but it was the only thing Mokosei believed he was capable of making himself. So he was a little proud that he had executed it without any bodily injury or fire damage to his apartment. </p><p>Kenma hummed to himself as he poured out a cup of coffee and smiled at the sound of Kuroo's footsteps coming up behind him. He spun on his heel and kissed Kuroo before handing him the mug. Kenma could tell Kuroo was still thinking about last night and could also see that he was worried. </p><p>"Don't stress. Everything is being taken care of, I swear. You drink your coffee, give me a kiss, and eat this. I made it," Kenma chuckled happily before skipping around the island and pulling out a chair for Kuroo. </p><p>Kuroo was happy to see Kenma in a good mood. He was just worried about what caused his joy. He was worried the next time he turned on the tv; he'd see his ex-girlfriend's face followed by the words "mysterious disappearance." He didn't want to see Kenma in handcuffs unless they were attached to his bed frame. He wondered if he asked Kenma what he had done if that would make him an accessory to a crime. </p><p>So he kept quiet and ate the food Kenma set in front of him while Kenma got ready for work. He was surprised to see Kenma in a full suit and tie and even more surprised to see a smile on his face. </p><p>"We are fixing this today. Mokosei will come here at two-thirty. Take a bath and get ready to be really annoyed because Mokosei is a pain when he dresses you. He will bring you to me, and then we'll fix this mess. Okay, bye, I love you." Kenma gave Kuroo a quick kiss to the cheek and ruffling his messy hair before grabbing his keys and rushing out the door. </p><p>Kuroo touched his cheek and smiled. He was unable to describe how amazing the domesticity of their interaction made him feel. He didn't know what would happen, but he believed that everything would be alright no matter how things ended up working out. </p><p>Kenma sped into the parking garage and walked with purpose through his building, speaking to his staff and event planners as they came up to him. They were trying to figure out what had happened in one night to create the need for such an event. Kenma didn't give them any explanation. All he needed was the event set up, and he would take care of the rest. </p><p>The night before, Kenma waited until Kuroo was fast asleep before getting out of bed. He went into the kitchen and made a few calls and a few emails. He worked until he saw the sun before calling Moksei to fill him in on the plan. The two worked more in those few hours than they had in weeks, and all they could do was hope and pray that it would all work out.</p><p>Kuroo did as he as he was told and took a bath. He tried to imagine what Kenma was planning, but he had no idea what would happen, and he was so caught up in his own mind that he lost track of time. He knew Mokosei was a punctual man who had to fight Kenma daily to get him to work on a schedule. Kuroo just didn't expect his methods of doing so to be so aggressive. </p><p>Kuroo didn't hear the door or Mokosei calling him, so the man busted through the bathroom door, dragged Kuroo out of the tub, and threw a pile of clothes at him to put on. </p><p>"Are you this rough with Kenma?" Kuroo hissed as Mokosei brushed through his hair. The man sent a dull look at Kuroo and shook his head before proceeding to make him look presentable. </p><p>"Kenma didn't bathe before he met you. I guess I should be a little nicer." Mokosei hummed more to himself than to Kuroo. "Kenma didn't do a lot of things before he met you. He really loves you. The little brat wouldn't do any of this if he didn't." Mokosei muttered before holding up two ties in front of Kuroo's neck. </p><p>"What exactly is Kenma doing? I assume you know, Kenma tells you everything." Kuroo asked as Mokosei tied his tie for him and adjusted his collar. </p><p>"You'll see soon enough. I only hope it all works out. Now let's go. Your boyfriend will have a fit if we are late." Mokosei sighed before shoving Kuroo towards the door. </p><p>Kuroo stared at Mokosei with a blank look on his face as he held open the back door for him. He understood that Kenma always rode in the back and that he got driven everywhere. But Mokosei was Kenma's assistant, and he didn't like acting as if Mokosei was his own personal secretary just because he and Kenma were dating. So Kuroo brushed past Mokosei and slipped into the passenger seat. </p><p>Mokosei stared at Kuroo for a few seconds before shaking his head and rushing over to the other side of the car. He didn't look at Kuroo. Instead, he turned on the car and sped off, taking a different route to the office because the one they usually took was far too busy to make it to the event on time. </p><p>"So I don't exactly know what Kenma wants me to do with you, so just stay next to me and don't say anything to anyone." Mokosei briefly explained before motioning Kuroo to follow behind him. </p><p>Kuroo did as told and walked behind Mokosei. He was surprised at the number of people in the building and how worried they all looked. He could tell Mokosei was just as nervous, but he hid it better than the rest of them. He noticed how Mokosei kept checking his watch and his phone and when they finally arrived at their destination Mokosei took it upon himself to fix Kuroo's collar and his hair. </p><p>"Let's hope this goes well," Mokosei smirked before turning the handle and opening the door, allowing a roar of voices to come through along with the sound of cameras clicking. Kuroo looked out into the sea of reporters and then at Kenma, who was standing center stage behind a podium. </p><p>Kenma noticed their entrance almost immediately, and for a split second, Kuroo saw Kenma drop the act he put up at work to send him a reassuring smile. Kenma turned away and returned the neutral expression to his face before gathering the attention of the crowd. Kenma introduced himself and did a bit of advertising for his company before clearing his throat and looking over at Kuroo for a second. </p><p>"My personal life has always been a topic of discussion for you people. My lack of openness has brought up a bit of curiosity which is completely understandable. But threats have been made, and they have pushed me to expose an aspect of my life I never intended to make public." Kenma began before taking a deep breath and looking down and looking at the woman who sat directly in front of Kenma's podium. </p><p>Mitsuki Ito stared up at Kenma with her eyes wide at the realization that her threat, her one bit of ammunition to get Kuroo back, was about to be taken from her. </p><p>"I am in a relationship. I have been for a while now. He and I-..."  Kenma started, but the sudden use of a certain pronoun caused the room to erupt, the mix of reporters and camera flashes were nearly disorienting, but Kenma continued. "He and I never intended to make our relationship public, but with the life I live, along with a few unforeseen circumstances, we felt it was time I make a statement. He is a kind and understanding man, whom I love very much. He does not live a life in the public eye, so I ask you to respect that. Any questions you have, you can direct them towards me." Kenma finished before allowing a pause for a wave of questions to go crashing towards him. </p><p>Kuroo stared at Kenma, amazed at how well he was handling the situation. He knew that Kenma was a businessman; and that he was certainly capable of handling himself in high-pressure situations. He had just never seen it so clearly first hand. He did not waver, nor did he show any weakness. Questions that would have turned Kuroo into a stuttering mess, Kenma answered with a chuckle. It was hard for him to believe that the same man he had seen crumble underneath him was the same one speaking out to what seemed to be hundreds of people. </p><p>He didn't realize it, but as Kuroo listened to Kenma speak, he had tears streaming down his face along with a smile that he covered with his hand. He knew Kenma loved him, but the extent of his actions was something he had never experienced before. Kuroo couldn't believe someone chose him over their reputation and potentially their career. He didn't think anyone could ever love him that much. But there was no doubt in Kenma's eyes, no hesitation in his words. He was sure of what he was doing, and to Kuroo, his certainty meant the world. </p><p>After the press conference, Kuroo cried for a long time, which freaked Kenma out. Mokosei made sure to mention to Kenma that Kuroo was crying out of happiness and not because he had done anything wrong. That reassurance allowed Kenma to relax a bit and finally feel the effects of his adrenaline levels lowering. His knees nearly buckled underneath the weight of holding Kuroo up, and when he tried to speak for the first time after getting off stage, his voice cracked. The two of them were a mess, but they were happy. </p><p>"You two look awful," Kageyama snorted, earning a smack to the chest from Hinata for saying what the two of them had been thinking the entire time they had been sitting across the couple.</p><p>"Kageyama, you cried for a week straight after I confessed to you. Kenma just announced his love to Kuroo in front of hundreds of people and on national television. They are allowed," Hinata added, trying his best to help the situation but also not refuting the statement that they did look terrible. </p><p>Kenma had flown the pair in that morning for emotional support. More accurately, he sent a jet to get Hinata and Kageyama got on as well. He felt he would need a familiar face in the crowd to get through the conference. Hinata and Kageyama met Kenma and Kuroo backstage and led the two into their car, seeing as they were both equally disoriented from the press conference. </p><p>Both their faces were flushed, their eyes were puffy, and Kuroo would randomly have a tear slip down his face. Kenma was so embarrassed that he had shown an uncharacteristic amount of emotion in front of Kageyama that he began being far more ruthless with his comebacks than usual. </p><p>"I'm sorry that this is how we're first meeting." Kuroo chuckled. "But I'm happy. I'm glad Kenma has such supportive friends." Kuroo smiled while looking at Hinata. </p><p>He would often find himself getting jealous of the relationship he and Kenma had. Kenma never sounded more enthusiastic than when he talked to Hinata or when they would be screaming at each other when they would play online together. Their weekly phone calls and constant texting were sometimes hard to look past. But when he was sitting next to Kenma, his hand enveloped in his while Kenma was engrossed in conversation with Hinata, he knew that he had no reason to be worried. Because even though he wasn't the only person in Kenma's world, he would always be the person sitting beside him, holding his hand. </p><p>That night Kenma and Kuroo went home and sat in the living room for a long time. They didn't know what to do. </p><p>Kenma kept the fact that Mitsuki got mysteriously transferred to a branch out of the country to himself as well as the number of investors he had lost as a result of his actions. He didn't regret doing it, in fact, he was relieved to have it over. Kenma was happy knowing that he got the chance to tell the world he was in love. He just hated that so many people knew a personal detail about him. </p><p>But when he looked over at Kuroo, he knew that it was worth it. Kuroo was his, and after everything they had been through, he knew that there was nothing in the world that could change that fact. </p><p>"What now?" Kuroo breathed, finally raising his gaze from his lap to look over at Kenma. </p><p>Kenma rose from his seat on the couch and walked over to Kuroo. He stood between Kuroo's thighs and placed his hands on the sides of Kuroo's face before kissing him softly. Kenma leaned his forehead against Kuroo's and smiled. </p><p>"Now we relax, and you let me spoil you," Kenma whispered before pushing Kuroo back on the couch and settling himself on top of Kuroo. </p><p>Kuroo grinned up at Kenma and nodded. "I think I can do that." </p>

<p>Kenma smirked and leaned down."Good," he muttered against Kuroo's skin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the end of Sweet Drinks. I hope you enjoyed it.<br/>Thank you so much for reading.<br/>It genuinely means the world knowing that people take time out of their days to read my silly little fics.<br/>See you next time!<br/>Ɛ &gt; xoxox &lt;3</p>
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